Xuejia Kiln Black Pottery [Shandong Junan Specialty]

What is Xuejiayao black pottery? Authentic Shandong Junan specialty: Xuejiayao black pottery

Content summary:Do you want to know what Xuejiayao black pottery is? This article is a detailed introduction toShandong Junan specialty - Xuejia Kiln Black Pottery. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network after reviewing and collecting relevant information on Xuejia Kiln Black Pottery. The full text takes about 10 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Xuejia Kiln Black Pottery and how its history originated? The production method of Xuejiayao black pottery, etc

Basic Introduction to Xuejiayao Black Pottery

Xuejiayao Village, Dadian Town, Junan County, has a glorious history of firing pottery for hundreds of years in southeastern Shandong, which has had a huge impact on people's lives and has become an indispensable household item. The clay pottery vessels from Xuejia Kiln are locally known as "kiln goods", which have many advantages. Firstly, they are economically convenient, practical, and inexpensive; Secondly, the texture is pure, environmentally friendly and pollution-free. It is used to store food and prevent food from spoiling. Drinking beef and mutton broth in a clay pot can remove the gamey smell; Thirdly, it has a beautiful and unique appearance, vivid and interesting carvings, suitable for viewing and preservation, and has aesthetic value. In 1988, the selected samples were sent to the folk handicraft exhibition held by the China Tourism Administration and the Department of Second Light Industry of Shandong Province, and received high praise both domestically and internationally

Xuejiayao pottery has a wide variety, which can be divided into the following categories: pots, jars, jars, tea sets, utensils, flower pots, toys, and building materials. The shapes of pottery are simple and elegant, practical and beautiful, and colorful: some are rough, some are delicate, some are elegant, and some are dignified. The pottery basin used as a food box in households has a smooth and delicate appearance, engraved with flowers such as peonies and roses, as well as animals such as butterflies and magpies. Some are engraved with chubby dolls holding big fish, symbolizing abundance every year. There is a tile cover on top, which is both practical and has artistic appreciation value

The production method of Xuejia Kiln black pottery

The process of pottery production is divided into ten steps: excavation → drying → soaking → mixing with mud → making blanks → carving → drying → loading into the kiln → firing the kiln → exiting the kiln. Each step has strict operational requirements. If digging, choose a place with good soil quality to take soil. The soil layer in Xuejiayao Village is clearly divided into three layers: the top layer is the loess layer, which is the soil layer where crops are planted today; Below is the black soil layer, about 3-5 meters long, entirely composed of black silt, which is the best quality clay; Below is red soil, and small snail shells (locally called "Wulou") have been found in the soil layer, which were deposited by marine geology hundreds of millions of years ago. The black soil layer in the middle was also formed during a special glacial geological period billions of years ago

The excavated soil should be sun dried in the field, then soaked in water. After the dry soil reaches water, it quickly and evenly pulverizes. After soaking, it begins to mix with the mud, just like making noodles and noodles. For over a thousand years, mud and clay have been manually kneaded and kicked, and stirred with shovels, pickaxes, and grappling hooks, which is a heavy physical labor. After 2000, ball mills and mud were used to liberate people from heavy and physical labor. Making the blank is the key to forming, and it should be operated by the most skilled master. The shape, size, thickness, and thickness are all controlled by the master

After drying, there is also knowledge in kiln loading. It is necessary to maximize the number of components loaded in a kiln without damage, and to ensure that they are easily heated evenly. In this way, the size, shape, weight, and position distribution of the pottery should meet scientific requirements. Otherwise, some places may become deformed after being burned, while others may not be fully cooked, resulting in the scrapping of the kiln's products

Kiln firing is the key to the success of all processes. In ancient times, there were no thermometers, and the control of fire relied solely on visual inspection and the experience and intuition of kiln masters. Generally, firing a kiln takes more than 40 hours, during which there is no ceasefire and people cannot leave. According to the rules, one cannot defecate or urinate by the kiln, nor can one say anything inauspicious. It is said that one respects the kiln god. In fact, it is just another tortuous expression of the dedication of ancient pottery workers. As for the burnt clay tiles and glazed tiles, they take longer to use