The Ge Kiln is also called the Liutian Kiln or the Old Brother Kiln. It was established by the Song Dynasty craftsman Zhang Shengyi in Liutian County, Zhejiang Province. His younger brother Zhang Shenger also built up another famous kiln the Di Kiln in Longquan. The Di Kiln is also called the Younger Brother Kiln or Longquan Kiln.

The Ge Kiln porcelain belongs to the celadon family. It is special for its glaze and shape. The roughcast is gray or black in color, covered by glaze on both internal and external sides. The glaze is clear and even, covered by many crackles. It is said that Zhang Shengyi accidentally cooled the kiln prematurely when the porcelains were still too hot. The sudden cooling made the glaze cracked into pieces. He had to fill the cracks will different colored glaze, thus created a new type of glaze. The Ge porcelain makes a music sound when being tapped. The designs are also nice and elegant.

 

Background Knowledge: History of China

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