Temporary Exhibition:
"Ding Ware: The World of White Elegance –Recent Archaeological Findings"
【Outline】
Ding ware, a renowned kiln for the production of white porcelain situated in Quyang County, Hebei Province, was counted as one of the five classic wares of Song China. It was produced in large quantities, especially those for court use during the Song and Jin dynasties. Ding white porcelain, its distinctive feature being the elegant ivory-white hue, had been treasured by many, including the emperor and scholar-officials.
From September, 2009 to January, 2010 a large-scale excavation of the Ding kiln site was operated by the Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province with the cooperation of institutions including the School of Archaeology and Museology, Beijing University. The project revealed many new, significant findings that could be one of the keys to unveil the issues regarding Ding ware, such as clarification of its chronicle and definition of phases as well as the progress of firing technology. Selected as one of the ten greatest new discoveries in Chinese archaeology in 2009, this excavation project was needless to say a significant discovery within the history of Chinese ceramics, drawing attention from both inside and outside the country.
This exhibition, held in Japan for the first time, displays 66 pieces of excavated materials from the Ding kiln site. Through these pieces, the exhibition will trace the history of the development of Ding white porcelain and observe the secrets of the beauty of this elegant vessel.
【Information】
Title:
Temporary Exhibition
"Ding Ware: The World of White Elegance–Recent Archaeological Findings"
Dates:
Saturday, November 23 , 2013 – Sunday, March 23, 2014
Venue:
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka1-1-26,Nakanoshima, Kita-ku,Osaka
(East side of the Osaka City Central Public Hall)
-Just in front of “Naniwabashi” station of Keihan Nakanoshima Line -400m from “Yodoyabashi” station of Subway Midosuji Line or Keihan Main Line.
-400m from “Kitahama” station of Subway Sakaisuji Line or Keihan Main Line.
Closed Days:
Mondays (open on December 23 and January 13)
Saturday, December 14
Tuesday, January 14
Saturday, December 28, 2013 – Saturday, January 4, 2014
Opening hours:
from 9:30am to 5:00pm
※Open until 7:00 pm during the period of "Osaka Hikari-Renaissance 2013" (Sunday, December 15 – Wednesday 25)
※Last admission: 30 minutes prior to closing time
Organized by:
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics,, Osaka
Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province
Hebei Museum
With cooperation of:
Asahi World Co. Ltd.
Admission:
Adults 800yen (640yen)
University and high school students 480yen (400 yen）
a. Prices in parenthesis are group discount rates for a party of 20 people or more.
b. The following visitors are free of charge:
1.Junior high school students and under
2.Holders of Shintaishogaisha techo (Identification Booklet for the Physically Challenged) including one attendant, senior Osaka City citizens of 65 or older (please show ID)
Number of items on display:
66 pieces
Also showing:
＜Featured Exhibition＞
"TSUKAMOTO Kaiji ― In Quest of the Beauty of Ding Ware"
＜Permanent Exhibition＞
Chinese and Korean Ceramics of the Ataka Collection
Japanese Ceramics
Chinese Snuff Bottles of the Oki Shoichiro Collection
Inquiries:
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
Phone: 06-6223-0055
Fax : 06-6223-0057
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Examples of Objects on Display
SQUARE BOX WITH DOUBLE HANDLES
White porcelain with carved child and scroll design
Early period, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)
Excavated from Ding kiln site (Jianciling, Section B)
Height: 11.4cm, mouth size: 9.0×14.4cm
Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province
This heavily-potted rectangular box with two handles originally had a lid. The two wider sides than the other two bear a lozenge panel enclosing a scene of a child playing, holding a bird on the right hand. The panel is surrounded with flower motifs and the remaining space is filled with scrolls. The ivory glaze, glossy with a slightly yellowish tinge, is characteristic of those produced in the Northern Song period. This piece is a valuable example in terms of demonstrating some new aspects of Northern Song Ding porcelain, such as the rectangular form which is the first of its kind to be observed, along with the charming motif and the elegant hue of the glaze.
FACE OF THE BUDDHA
White porcelain
Mid-period, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)
Excavated from Ding kiln site (Jianciling, Section A)
Height: 5.5cm, width: 4.5cm
Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province
This porcelain fragment of the face of the Buddha was molded and, although the size is rather small, the handsome feature delivers a strong impression to the viewers. Fragments which seem to be that of arhat statues and rather large Buddhist figures have been unearthed from the Ding kiln site, suggesting that figures for Buddhist temples had been produced in white porcelain here as well as vessels. Evidence of the prosperity of Buddhism in Dingzhou during the Northern Song period was found in temples and related archaeological sites from which a large number of fragments of Buddhist images and other Buddhist-related vessels were unearthed. This implies the strong connection between Ding ware and Buddhist temples.
LOBED DISH
White porcelain with carved dragon design and inscription "togu (east palace)"
Latter half period of the Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
Excavated from Ding kiln site (Jianciling, Section A)
Height: 5.6 cm, diameter: 24.6 cm
Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province
This is a rather large dish with the mouth rim slightly cut to make it in the shape of a six-petaled flower. The interior bears a large but elegantly carved curled dragon and a pearl, the details of the whiskers and body hair depicted in comb pattern. The facial expression of the three-clawed dragon somewhat seems to have a humorous, approachable character. The glaze of the white porcelain has a glossy, warm ivory-white color with a slight yellowish tinge. The interior of the foot ring bears an inscription "togu (east palace)" incised under the glaze, implying that this piece was made for the Jin dynasty court. Excavation projects on the Ding kiln site revealed the fact that the Jin dynasty period falls in the prosperous era in which the production of Ding ware reached its pinnacle. It is known that Ding white porcelain was favored by the court during the Jin and Southern Song dynasties.
