Chinese Ceramic Imports to Japan during the 9th and 14th Centuries

Chinese ceramics have always been seen as desirable objects to the west, but for a long period of time, Chinese export ceramics were highly popular in Japan. Japan has been able to trade with the mainland quite easily throughout history and the northern route via the Korean peninsula was the easiest for such contacts. Buddhism was transported from India to China and then onto Korea and Japan and, especially through the Nara period in Japan (8th century CE), all things Chinese were highly desirable.

There were a series of diplomatic blunders throughout the 9th century but it appears that trade still continued between China and Japan, which can be seen through the archaeological finds that have been recovered through excavation. From the 9th to the 14th centuries, there have been 4 types of distinctive ceramics; “Palace finds of three-colour ware of the mid-T'ang type; heirloom wares, mainly high quality celadon, temmoku and white wares found in temple collections and now in museums; the sutra mound ceramics, green and white wares; and, by far the largest group, the truly trade material which entered Japan through the northern Kyushu ports and thence was dispersed through internal trade and found in quantity at Fukuoka, Fukuyama Fukuhara and Kamakura”.

The earliest of these found at sites was that of the three-coloured ware. However, these have only been found in small quantities at such sites as the Daianji site at Nara and at Okinoshima of the Genkai straits north Kyushu. At one site, 120 fragments were found which bore the design of a bird and flowers covered in a three-coloured glaze. These fragments, along with two other examples, “represent the only northern Chinese wares found in excavations in Japan, a comment on the route of entry at the early period as also on the fact that both kinds have been at the site of religious institutions. They represent the cultural trade of the early period”.

The heirloom ware examples that have been found include some of the most beautiful pieces of Chinese ceramics. These include the many of the superb quality Lung Ch'uan celadons, and Temmoku tea wares of Sung and the famous green tenth-century Yiieh ware and the Fukien white wares now in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Horyuji and of the Osaka Museum. They were picked by Japanese visitors to China, either monks or officials. These items have been seen as pieces suitable for the more elite family. It should be stated that these pieces were usually fashioned in the Chekiang and Fukien kilns. These items have been handed down through the family throughout history, hence the name ‘heirloom pieces’.

The sutra style was introduced during the late 11th century. At this time in Japan, Buddhism had taken hold of the country, especially with the pure Land Amida sect. This particular style of ceramics was fashioned in order to preserve the holy Buddhist scripts. “The mound contained the sutra, placed in a metal or ceramic cylindrical container, which is occasionally inscribed with a date. Often also the mounds contained metal mirrors and small circular covered boxes perhaps containing incense. These small boxes are of moulded Ying Ch'ing ware with a variety of patterns on the cover”. This type of ceramic is of great significance, not only due to the limited date range, but due to the fact that these items were clearly for trade purposes only; they seem to be ‘made-to-order’ pieces.

The last category, the trade ceramics, is by far the largest examples of the 4 groups. This type of ceramic was transported to Japan through the port in Kyushu (Hakata Bay) that was initiated in the 10th century. By this time, the Japanese people were not allowed to leave the country – only Buddhist monks were the exceptions to this rule. At this point, around 945 CE, it was only the growing temple communities that were particularly interested in Chinese ceramic ware and they begun an ‘unofficial’ trading relationship.

There was one other type of Chinese ceramic ware that was exported to Japan but it is a very rare example and only two shards have been found so far. This type is called the under-glazed decorated ware. One of these has been identified as of Chi Chow type and the other, an iron decorated piece, is thought to come from Tzu Chow.

Bibliography:

Tregear, M. (1976) Chinese Ceramic Imports to Japan Between the Ninth and Fourteenth Centuries, The Burlington Magazine, The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd.