This monograph sets out to examine how new discoveries in ceramic archaeology shed light on intercultural relations (Islamic influences on Chinese technology), ecological issues (resource depletion and the shifting of kiln production infrastructures) and the history of Chinese social and economic development. The volume includes the following academic papers:

Ma Wenkuan (Institute of Archaeology, CASS), "A study of Islamic elements in Ming porcelain", pp 7-38;

Qin Dashu (Department of Archaeology, Peking University), "A study of the relationship and mutual influences of the Cizhou and Ding kilns", pp 39-58;

Liu Yi (Nankai University, Tianjin), "Basic characteristics of Ding kiln porcelain and the identification of kilns firing imitation Ding kiln porcelain", pp. 59-64;

Quan Kuishan (Department of Archaeology, Peking University), "The shift of the central firing areas at famous southern kiln sites", pp 65-80;

Liu Yi (Nankai University, Tianjin), "The Xuanzhou Official Kiln and related issues", pp 81-93;

Quan Kuishan (Department of Archaeology, Peking University), "The phantom Official Kiln: 'Guan" and 'Xinguan" marks on Tang and Song porcelain", pp 95-106;

Wang Guangyao (Palace Museum, Beijing), "Standard reign marks in seal script on Qing dynasty Imperial Kiln porcelain", pp 107-113;

Wang Guangyao (Palace Museum, Beijing), "Porcelain imitating bronze: The porcelain Ban Gui of the Qianlong period", pp 115-120;

Wang Guangyao (Palace Museum, Beijing), "Qing dynasty lidded bowls inscribed with poems and bearing designs of pine, prunus, Buddha's hand and ruyi-shaped clouds", pp 121-123;

Liu Tao (Shenzhen Cultural Relics Management Office), "Prefatory poems by the Qianlong Emperor on Song dynasty porcelain", pp 125-129;

Guo Xuelei (Shenzhen Cultural Relics Management Office), "'Top quality wares made of fine materials' among blue-and-white wares produced by civilian kilns in the Chongzhen reign period", pp 131-138;

Liu Zhaohui (Fudan University, Shanghai), "Paintings on porcelain, woodblock prints and literati taste: A study of the decoration on transitional blue-and-white porcelain and prevailing social customs", pp 139-156;

Guo Xuelei (Shenzhen Cultural Relics Management Office), "On the identification of 'lamps' produced by the Yaozhou and other kilns and related issues", pp 157-162;

Zhang Peixin (Shaanxi History Museum), "A brief discussion of the junchi: Classifying two pottery pieces in the Shaanxi History Museum", pp 163-170; Liu Tao (Shenzhen Cultural Relics Management Office), "Jiaotai porcelain and jiaoyou porcelain", 171-180.

The documentation of Chinese archaeological and art history research appears in a large section (pp 201-456) devoted to full English research summaries of articles published in China in the period from October to December 1998.

The volume also contains a full bibliographic listing (pp 457-471) of all articles published in the period October to December 1998 precluded from the provision of full summaries by space and other considerations, as well as by an annotated list of all new books (pp 472-482) in the archaeological, art history and cultural heritage fields published or announced to be published in China since the appearance of the previous volume of China Archaeology and Art Digest.

Among the general pieces by treating heritage issues in this volume are: "Sotheby's and Christies' Under Fire", p. 182, and "Destruction of the Great Wall", p. 187.

back to Digest