The development of pottery in Taiwan formed different periods of time through the evolution of technology and different cultures. These developments are never-ending, so the process has overlapped with different cultures throughout time. If we use the different techniques and the end result to sort pottery in Taiwan, it can be divided into 4 main periods:
1. Clayware About 4000 BC ~ 1624 AD
The Clayware period includes the prehistoric Neolithic age and the making of pottery by indigenous Taiwanese. From the Neolithic Dapenkeng culture ruins, Taiwanese archaeologists uncover many pottery remains. This shows that pottery making has been occurring in Taiwan 7000 years ago. The materials used in the Clayware period are mostly sand-filled red pottery, gray pottery, colored pottery and black pottery, all are handmade, and decorated by painting. At that time, there was not a real kiln, so most are hardened directly using fire. The temperature to forming clayware is lower and creates pores, making them easy to break. The indigenous people at those times generally make pots, bottles, bowls, and other daily necessities using this technique.
Pottery container without a handle (Reference: National Museum of Prehistory)
2. Earthenware 1624 AD ~ 1895 AD
Products in the Ming and Qing dynasty have rich Southern Chinese cultural heritage. These earthenware are made of porous ground soil. They are usually heated to 800~1200℃ to form. There are three main categories of earthenware:
(1) The bricks and tiles found on traditional buildings. This does not need soil with great quality. They can get the soil virtually anywhere, and are easier to make. The kiln's structure is also comparatively simple.
(2) Daily-use pottery. The heating temperature can reach up to 1100℃, and began to use glaze, mainly gray glaze. The main products are water tanks, pottery urns, pots and pots, all of which are closely related to daily life.
(3) Cochin pottery for temple decoration. This emerged as a result of the development of temple architecture, most of which are decorations on temple roofs, walls, and fences. During the Japanese occupation period, Ye Wang's works were regarded as national treasures and were displayed at the World's Fair, marked as "Chiayi Shao". This technique has now developed into one of the most indigenous styles of Taiwanese pottery art.
Chihkan Tower in Tainan
Rope-patterned pottery work (Reference: Yuanshan Archaeological Site)
Cochin pottery in temples (Reference: Chiayi City Hall)
3. Stoneware 1895 AD ~ 1970 AD
Pottery works produced during this period are between ceramics and pottery, having formed at high temperatures of 1200℃ and more. The body has reached the level of porcelain, but the transparency of it is still similar to that of pottery. During this period, it was highly valued by Japanese entrepreneurs, who introduced traditional Japanese pottery technology and ceramic varieties, and also began to use electric tools. The use of plaster models for production has also significantly increased the efficiency of making pottery.
Taiwan Bowl and Dish Museum (Reference: Taiwan Panorama Magazine)
4. The Porcelain Period and Age of Pottery Art 1970 AD ~ Present
(1) Porcelain: It is usually sintered at a high temperature of 1300℃ or higher. The texture of the porcelain is dense, the body is white, the thin layer is translucent, and the quality is greatly improved. At this time, the production of pottery gradually declined due to the widespread use of plastics and metals. However, the development of porcelain has expanded rapidly, and the number of ceramic factories has increased greatly, making porcelain grow into the mainstream.
Porcelain Dishes
Porcelain Coffee Cup Set
Porcelain Souvenirs
(2) The Age of Pottery Art: Ceramics are used as artistic expressions. The works have aesthetic significance and creative ideas. This makes Taiwan's ceramics move towards an artistic stage, rejecting the constraints of the hand-handling machine, using both hands as tools to express in abstract shapes The author's thoughts and feelings are also combined with other materials such as wood, metal, fiber and other materials to "give pottery a new life."
Hsinchu County artist Qiu Huantang's lyrical pottery art exhibition presents the beauty of earth, glaze, fire, and humanities (Reference: Hsinchu County Government)
Conclusion
The history of Taiwan's ceramic art reflects both the history of Taiwan and the culture of Taiwan. The initial development was rather slow, about two or three thousand years later than China. Almost all the inheritance of ceramics in Taiwan originated from overseas, such as China, Japan. The elites who studied abroad brought back creative skills and concepts. Until the rise of modern pottery art, Taiwanese ceramics have become both localized and artistic, and internationalized, thus establishing the characteristics of Taiwanese ceramics.
