Among primitive Chinese potteries, aside from colored potteries, the black earthenware had also attained considerable refinement in technique and artistically. Black pottery first appeared around 2000 B.C., and was based on the colored pottery. It was during the transitional period from primitive society to slave society in China that black pottery was created. Be it religious or ancestral rituals, everything at that time was developing towards a more standardized and systematic direction. The members of society had a clearer differentiation of social status, and political and economic
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| Black earthenware basin of the Hemudu culture (some 7,000 years ago). H 11.7 cm at mouth. The collection of Zhejiang Museum. | interests also needed to be systematically distributed among them.
The clay used for black pottery, as the material for colored pottery, was of the finest kind. Though black potteries were still handmade, most were produced on a fast potter's wheel (kick wheel), an improvement from its slow counterpart from the colored pottery period. The use of jiggers was also quite common. At this time, aside from a small quantity of potteries and the different attached parts such as the ears, nose, mouths, handles and support, which were still formed by hand, the main bodies of most potteries were crafted with the help of the potter's wheel. It not only has the advantage of producing more uniform and consistent shapes, the thickness of the pottery can also be controlled more precisely. Thus, the black pottery, with their eggshell-thin bodies, can be made without difficulty. The surface of black pottery received a polished finish, which was accomplished by pressing and polishing the surface of the near-dried body with conglomerates or tools of bone. When the body was fired, its exterior became quite shiny. Colored pottery also received such a treatment before patterns were
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| Black earthenware pot of the Liangzhu culture, H 15 cm. The collection of the Shanghai Museum. | painted. The black pottery was the successor to this technique and its shiny texture and thin body captures our imaginations.
The emergence of black pottery was intimately related to changes in firing technology and kiln atmosphere. Pottery made from iron-rich clay would produce red or brown colors when fired in an oxidation atmosphere, and would turn black when fired with in a reduction atmosphere. The primitive firing technique required heating the kiln up to a required temperature and blocking the smoke passage. Thus the kiln would be deficient of oxygen enough for the iron element in the clay to be reduced, causing the pottery to turn black. Since such technique required a higher kiln temperature and a level of control over the degree of fire, we determine that kiln technology has advanced a considerable step by this time. By measurement, kilns producing black pottery can reach maturing temperatures of 1,000 degrees Celsius, while colored potteries were fired at temperatures of roughly 800 degrees.
Black pottery, while benefiting from finer clay, fast potter's wheel, polished finish, advanced firing techniques and more, stood apart from all other potteries before it. Better firing brought forth better compactness and coagulation of the clay material, which in turn increased the rigidity of the body. The fast potter's wheel not only produced thinner and more uniform bodies, but made numerous forms and shapes not seen in colored pottery possible.
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| Neolithic black earthenware vase, H 25 cm. Unearthed from Qingpu County in Shanghai. Collection of the Shanghai Museum. | With changes in firing and forming techniques taking place, changes were bound to follow in form design and decorative styling of pottery. First, from a decorative art standpoint, the surfaces of black pottery were not suitable for colored decorations; its more complex shapes were also difficult to paint on. In most black potteries, which were intended for practical use, often seen was the polished finish, as it was a very elegant and refined way of enhancing its beauty. By taking advantage of the fast potter's wheel and jigger, all kinds of raised or incised parallel line patterns can be applied to the surface.
These marks not only served to divide the pottery object into different sections, they were also a kind of adornment and the unique styling feature of black pottery. The excitement, passion and wildly imaginative decorative motifs of the colored pottery gave way for the orderly, sequential and highly precise parallel line patterns. The warm color combination of red, black and yellow found on colored pottery was also replaced by the monotonous but sophisticated black. Those repeating parallel lines found on black pottery, especially of goblets, which were full of rhythm, melody and movement, contained a form of beauty based on programmed patterns. If colored pottery represents passionate and impulsive beauty, then black pottery equals to rational aesthetics.
By way of modeling and artistic styling, the potter's wheel and jigger gave pottery wares many more variations to the exterior contours. Since colored pottery emphasized the paintings and patterns on its surface, its exterior contour was usually very simple and full. However, black pottery, with no painted d6cor on the outside, fully relied on its undulating surfaces. Therefore, the utmost attention was put into the design and making of the exterior form of black pottery. It was apparent in the transitions from mouth to shoulder, shoulder to belly and belly to feet of the pottery; every bit of detail showed the pursuit for variations. If we say that colored pottery is an art relying on decorations, then black pottery stands firm with shape and form that is ever changing.
During the colored pottery period, containers made for daily living were limited to jars, kettles, teapots, alms bowl, bowls, vases, cups and so forth. The advent of the fast potter's wheel gave life to new types of pottery vessels during th.e black pottery period, including the Yan for cooking foods and the high-footed Dou, a container designed to facilitate people's reach and access while sitting on the floor. In terms of decorations, besides the usual polished treatment, the surfaces of black pottery can be adorned with all kinds of etched patterns, parallel line patterns, basket patterns, geometric patterns, finger nail patterns, circular patterns and carved aperture patterns and so on. |
