Ding ware
Ding ware (定瓷) refers to the high-fired white and off-white stonewares produced primarily at the Ding kilns (定窑) located in Quyang County, Hebei Province. The Ding kiln system developed during the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods and reached its highest refinement during the Northern Song (960–1127). Ding ware is noted for its thinly potted vessel bodies, slightly ivory-toned glazes, and the use of carved, molded, and impressed surface decoration.
Historical Context
Ding ware developed within the broader context of northern high-fired stoneware traditions and became one of the most influential ceramic groups of the Northern Song period. The kilns supplied both court and civilian markets. Historical records and archaeological evidence indicate that Ding ware entered official use during the Northern Song, though imperial patronage does not define the entirety of its production. The kilns continued to operate into the Jin and Yuan periods, with gradual changes in glaze tone, vessel thickness, and surface finish.
Materials and Technical Characteristics
Ding ware bodies are composed of fine-grained, iron-bearing clays fired to stoneware temperatures. The glaze is a feldspathic composition with low iron content, producing a white to slightly creamy surface.
Key technical features:
- Firing temperature: typically 1200–1250°C
- Oxidation or weak reduction atmosphere
- High degree of vitrification, resulting in thin and resonant vessel walls
- Glaze applied by dipping or pouring, often leaving an unglazed ring at the rim or foot
A notable characteristic of Ding ware is the use of metal bands (usually copper) fitted to vessel rims, compensating for the unglazed edges that resulted from placing vessels upside-down during firing to prevent glaze adhesion to kiln supports.
Form and Surface Treatment
Vessel forms include:
- Bowls and dishes with gently everted rims
- Conical and deep bowl types
- Ewers and small pouring vessels
- Boxes and covered containers
- Ritual and scholar’s desk objects
Surface decoration employs:
- Carving (刻花)
- Incising (划花)
- Stamping / impressing (印花)
- Molding (模制)
Common motifs include lotus petals, floral scrolls, and abstract linear ornament, executed with controlled and shallow relief to maintain the thin vessel body.
Kiln Site
| Kiln | Location (Modern) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ding kilns (定窑) | Quyang County, Hebei | Primary production center; multi-chamber kilns on sloped terrain; large-scale output during Northern Song |
Other associated kiln sites in Hebei and northern China produced related wares with variations in glaze hue, body thickness, and surface finish.
Cultural and Historical Significance
Ding ware is significant for:
- Establishing a standard for refined white stoneware aesthetics in northern China
- Its influence on later white-glazed wares in both north and south China
- Its role within the material environment of Song literati, court, and religious contexts
Ding ware forms one of the core reference categories in Chinese ceramic typology, alongside Ru, Guan, Ge, and Longquan wares in the Song-period ceramic landscape.
Related Pages
References
- Li Zhiyan et al., ed. Ding Ware of the Song Dynasty. Chinese Academy of Arts.
- Medley, Margaret. The Chinese Potter: A Practical History of Chinese Ceramics.
- Kerr, Rose. Chinese Ceramics. Victoria and Albert Museum.