13papers in this issue.
This study focuses on the fact that the products from the private kilns of Jingdezhen comprise a major portion of the blue-and-white porcelain excavated from the early Joseon sites in Korea including Hanyang. The blue-and-white porcelain that was used mainly by the royal family and the scholar-officials in Hanyang during the first half of Joseon spread to the public and the provinces. One of the driving factors behind the increasing popularity was the fact that the Joseon government limited the use of blue-and-white porcelain as a luxury item of a privileged class. Due to the limitation in domestic production, most of the demand for the blue-and-white porcelain was fulfilled by the imported products from Ming. The excavated items also show us that most of the blue-and-white porcelain used nationally were drinking vessels such as small bowls and cups.
This paper compares the exchange of Ming porcelain between Ming China and Joseon in comparison with those exchanges between Ming and other countries in East Asia in order to bring out similarities and differences and highlight the complexity and dynamics of East Asian cultural exchanges. First, the similarities are that the times when the Ming court bestowed porcelain on other countries were concentrated in the first half of the fifteenth century in most of the Asian region. Within the framework of tribute trade, porcelain with a three-clawed dragon design was found in large quantities. During similar periods of time, Longquan celadon and Jingdezhen blue and white porcelain as well as private kiln porcelain wares increased and had common features. Second, what makes the exchange with Joseon distinctive is the introduction of porcelain overland by Ming envoys whose country of origin was Joseon and the shipment of table ware sets manufactured by Ming imperial kilns. Also, most of the Ming porcelain discovered in Joseon has been Jingdezhen blue and white porcelain which was common with other East Asian countries, but only a few discoveries of Longquan or Zhangzhou wares, nor was there much Kraak ware from Jingdezhen kilns or Southeast Asian celadons. These differences put Joseon in a unique position. This analysis provides an implication that diplomatic interactions and the changes in distribution brought about by the main trading forces should be considered in order to have a deep understanding of porcelain exchange between Ming China and Joseon and throughout East Asia.
This paper examines the 16th-century Royal Kiln-produced white porcelain in the context of the interrelationship between the royal family as the main consumer and the kiln as the producer. In particular, it structurally explains the changes in white porcelain from the perspective of the increase in demand for white porcelain and the imbalance in supply. The royal family enacted the Sinyu In-kind Taxation Reform in the early 16th century and expanded royal finances based on this. The demand for white porcelain produced at the Royal Kiln also increased through the provisions on appropriation and tax-in-kind hikes of the reform. On the other hand, the Royal Kiln was operated under the government-run craftsmanship system and, therefore, had a limited annual budget to spend and a limited number of available artisans. As a result, an imbalance occurred in the supply and demand for Royal Kiln white porcelain. The royal family and the kiln responded to this issue by reflecting on each other’s positions. Accordingly, it is assumed that changes were brought about in the quality and inscriptions of white porcelain, and in the way Royal Kiln was operated. This paper is of significance in that it organically understands changes seen in white porcelain created at the Royal Kiln in the 16th century through the relationship between the royal family, the highest ruling class at the time, and the kiln operated under the state-run handicraft system.
This study delves into the adversities and significant obstacles encountered by Korean potters during the 17th century and their endeavors to surmount these challenges by enhancing the government kiln system and refining pottery production techniques, drawing insights from an analysis of historical records and artifacts. Furthermore, it investigates the adaptation and resettlement experiences of Korean potters who were abducted to Japan. As part of the restructuring of the government kiln system aimed to improve the conditions of artisans, initiatives were undertaken to secure cloth taxes. Additionally, the system of mandatory labor shifted from mandatory labor assignments to artisans choosing their employment in the government kilns. Measures were taken to broaden access to high-quality clay by expanding raw material sources. Challenges related to kiln mobility, which encumbered artisans, prompted the proposal of fixed kiln establishments. Regarding production techniques, artisans exerted significant efforts to master the adept application of iron-red pigment, known as seokganju, as a substitute for cobalt blue. This endeavor resulted in the emergence of simple yet naturally bold designs evident in the patterns of porcelain crafted in local kilns using underglaze iron. Kiln construction techniques advanced with the introduction of more sophisticated kilns, featuring inner walls and pillars to enhance firing processes. Moreover, a kiln design characterized by a widened base ascending toward the chimney in a ladder like formation, initially developed in local kilns, served as the prototype for government-operated kilns. Meanwhile, artisans who were abducted or forcibly relocated to Japan acclimated to various local environments across Kyushu.Leveraging their advanced skills compared to Japanese artisans, they focused on crafting ceramics and tea bowl ware in the Joseon style. Notably, artisans such as Yi Sampyeong played a pivotal role in Japan’s inaugural porcelain production by discovering new clay deposits. Families like the Satsuma-based Sim Sugwan clan persisted in the ceramic production across generations, establishing themselves as prominent figures in the Japanese ceramic industry. Although the 17th century presented formidable obstacles to Korean potters, they met these challenges with remarkable diligence and ingenuity, pioneering new styles and technological advancements.
This study summarizes the production, consumption, distribution, and perceptions of Dragon Jars in the late Joseon period and offers new perspectives and interpretations of their spread to the public sector during the nineteenth century. Dragon Jars from the late Joseon period were used as jars to hold liquor or flowers at various royal ceremonies, making them important symbolic ritual objects. In particular, Dragon Jars were used as wine jars for various rituals such as weddings, banquets, guest rites, ancestral sacrifices, and funeral rites. Their names, styles, and uses varied depending on the ritual. The form of Dragon Jars is characterized by their height, the composition of their designs, and number of claws on the dragon, all of which subtly indicate the ritual’s nature and the user’s status. This study analyzes the private firing of the official kilns, the private demand for items in the palace style, the spread of the Confucian ritual guide Zhuzi jiali, and the sharing of ritual vessels in order to explain the spread of Dragon Jars beyond the royal court and into the private sector during the late Joseon period.
Korean historian Moon Il-pyeong’s concept of “Joseonsim,” or the spiritual essence of Korean culture, emphasized retaining a respect for traditional Korean culture, especially unique Korean inventions such as Hangeul. He was a sharp critic of what he deemed to be Korea’s excessive reliance on Chinese culture and customs to the extent of belittling Korean tradition and customs and urged the Korean public to have pride in Korea’s authentic national culture. Such emphasis on “Joseonsim” formed the core of Moon’s nationalist understanding of history, for he sought to use history as a vehicle to educate the Korean public about Korean history as a means to overcome both the traditional Sinophile attitude and the Westernization of Korean society through Japanese colonialism.