Heritage Category

Traditional Crafts

Geographic Origin

Hangzhou, East China

Temporal Peak

Eastern Jin Dynasty (317â€“420 CE)

UNESCO Status

Representative List

Transmission

Master-Apprentice (Hands-on)

Primary Vectors

Longquan Celadon Glazing

CIVILIZATION OBJECT NO. 021

Longquan Celadon

"Jade-green ceramics from Zhejiang, treasured for over 1,600 years as one of China's most celebrated contributions to global ceramic art."

COORD: 30.27N / 120.16E

CIVILIZATION CONTEXT

RELATED REGION

Hangzhou

MATERIAL PAIRING

Longquan Celadon Glazing

LITERARY NODES

Wood and Earth: The Magic of Longquan Celadon

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This artifact is part of the Intangible Heritage Cluster. It connects to 12 entities across the atlas, spanning 1 region, 1 master, 0 festivals, and 1 skill.

01 / ARCHIVAL ORIGINS

Longquan Celadon: A Living Heritage

Longquan celadon is a type of green-glazed ceramic produced in Longquan, Zhejiang Province, for over 1,600 years. Renowned for its jade-like glaze colors â€” ranging from pale "powder green" to deep "plum green" â€” Longquan celadon was exported across Asia, Africa, and Europe via the Maritime Silk Road. The craftsmanship involves careful clay preparation, wheel throwing, and precise glaze formulation. The iconic "seaweed green" and "plum green" glazes are celebrated worldwide.

1606+

Years of Unbroken Lineage

Related Cultural Vectors

FIG. 01: Longquan celadon vase with characteristic jade-green glaze

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Stories & Legends

Wood and Earth: The Magic of Longquan Celadon

historical

Chinese potters chased the color of jade for a thousand years.

The Porcelain Road: Jingdezhen and the World

historical

A remote town in Jiangxi produced the finest ceramics the world had ever seen for over a thousand years.

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Skills & Techniques

Longquan Celadon Glazing expand_more

The technique of applying the distinctive jade-green glaze to celadon ceramics, using iron oxide and precise kiln atmosphere control.

Steps

Prepare the clay body from locally sourced porcelain stone
Shape the vessel on a potter's wheel or by hand molding
Dry to leather-hard state and trim excess clay
Apply the first layer of iron-bearing glaze by dipping or pouring
Allow glaze to dry and apply second coat
Fire in a reduction kiln at 1250–1300°C to achieve jade-green color

Tools

potter's wheel, trimming tools, glaze bucket, kiln, pyrometer

Materials

porcelain stone, iron oxide, wood ash, feldspar, quartz

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Related Places

pin_drop Hangzhou (East China)

THE LIVING BREATH

Generations Preserved

NATIONAL / GEN 1

Xu Chaoyun

Xu Chaoyun is a master celadon artisan from Longquan, Zhejiang Province. He spent decades researching and reviving the ancient "plum green" and "powder green" glazes that made Longquan celadon famous ...

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KNOWLEDGE NETWORK