Gangjin is a place of beautiful natural heritages. Here, soil from this rich nature meets water and endures flames to create gentle jade hues. Goryeo's magical green celadon has been wanted as some of the best ceramics in the world, even in China where celadon-wares were first created. Each green celadon piece reflects the artistic spirit of its creator. This is one of the jewels of Korea's proud cultural heritage. A jewel that has refined in Gangjin, for the past one thousand years!
Celadon porcelain is perhaps Goryeo's most representative cultural symbol, and remains part of Korea's precious cultural heritage. The Goryeo dynasty became the second country after China to manufacture such porcelain, but soon perfected the art to make the world's finest celadon porcelain. Celadon porcelain wares are functional yet boast ornate designs consisting of lotus flowers, chrysanthemums, clouds, cranes, and waterside scenes. They are also coated with clear, blue glazes. Celadon porcelain wares decorated with various shades of celadon and inlays, and wares fashioned into a variety of animal shapes and other forms, attest to the Korean people's excellent crafting skills.
I visited the Goryeo Celadon Museum in Gangjin, which is very unique in Korea in that it succeeds and develops traditional celadon culture through collecting, displaying, researching celadon and educating people about Goryeo celadon porcelain. Visitors can appreciate the past and the present of the celadon with its reproduced works by potters in the reproducing labs within the museum.
Historical facts indicate that kilns in Gangjin area supplied celadon porcelains to the royal family in Gaegyeong (now Gaeseong) during the Goryeo dynasty. The Museum houses the replica of a wooden ship, one quarter size of the actual one, found at the bottom of the sea near Daeseom island off Taean, Chungcheongnam-do in May 2007. At that time 23,000-plus pieces of celadon porcelains were found along with chinaware, iron kettle, bronze vowels and ropes apparently used by the crew. Straw was stuffed into the spaces between celadon porcelains fixed in wooden frames. The wooden frames were laid in tidal flats in relatively good condition.
Clay purification: In this process, clay is collected and its impurities removed. Then the clay is crushed and soaked in water, making it possible to separate and remove the upper-surface water and sand sediments. Then the water mixed with fine clay is collected and dried, leaving only clay of the finest quality.
Clay kneading: The presence of air bubbles or an imbalance in the clay's moisture will damage and deform celadon porcelain when crafted. Thus the clay needs to be trodden by foot and kneaded into the appropriate size.
Molding: In this process, various forms of vessels are made, using potter's wheels or molds, as well as by connecting plates of clay or shaping and trimming lumps of clay.
Surface trimming: In this process, the molded vessels are dried to a certain extent, then the bottoms are cut and the surfaces trimmed. Ornate images of relief, intaglio, piercing, and inlay are incised into the surface of the vessels before completely drying them out.
First baking: After they have been completely dried out in the shade, the vessels are baked at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius. This first baking prevents the deformation of the vessels when painting designs or applying glazes, thus ensuring that the glazes are firmly deposited onto the vessels.
Glazing: Glazing hardens the vessels, prevents water penetration, and produces decorative effects. Celadon porcelain wares are normally dipped in glazes made from glassy earth and wood ash.
Second baking: The vessels are baked again at a higher temperature of 1200~1400 degrees Celsius. The colors and levels of perfection vary according to the structure of the baking kiln, the kind of firewood used, and the timing and method of firing.
The Gangjin Goryeo celadon kiln sites were widespread in the vicinity of Gangjin-city, Daegu-myeon, Yongun-ri, Gyeyul-ri, Sadang-ri, and Sudong-ri. In Yongun-ri, 75 kiln sites are still relatively intact. In Gyeyul-ri, 59 kiln sites remain. In Sadang-ri, 43 kiln sites are partially intact. Sudong-ri has 6 kiln sites. In the vicinity of Daegu-myeon ganglion-city, many kiln sites are still intact.
Sadang-ri No. 41 Celadon Kiln: This kiln was excavated by the National Museum of Korea in the 1970s. Based on the techniques and patterns of the excavated celadon, it was assumed that the kiln was established and operated in the 12th century, which was the golden age of the Goryeo dynasty.
Thanks Bindu chechi
It was great to read about the history and the process of Celadon porcelain . Absolutely it i is the best ceramics in the world.