A RESEARCH ON CHINESE EXPORTED WHITE WARES AND RELATED ISSUES IN THE TANG AND FIVE DYNASTIES
Through the research of Chinese white wares discovered from surveys and excavations of overseas sites, cities, ports, and shipwrecks in the Tang (618 - 907 CE) and Five dynasties (907 - 960 CE), the exportation, circulation, and consumption of white wares within this period can be revealed. In the seventh and eighth centuries, white wares were brought to Japan and the Korean Peninsula in East Asia as gifts from Chinese courts among other non-trade channels. After the ninth century, port cities like Yangzhou flourished along with the expansion of maritime traffic. White wares as part of the Chinese exported ceramic assemblage started to appear in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean. White wares from Xing and Gongyi kilns were exported in the 9th century, while those from Ding kilns were exported around the 10th century. In the quantity of exported Chinese ceramics,white wares were in smaller portions compared to Changsha ware and Yue ware, but the Chinese white wares were much more praised in a vast area from East Asia to the Indian Ocean as precious luxury goods. In East Asia, Chinese white wares were purchased by high-ranking monks and nobles; in the Indian Ocean, they were also owned by the courts and the rich. Due to high demand and short supply, imitations of Chinese white wares started to appear in the West Asian region, which became popular and were sold throughout the Indian Ocean. Through the case study of white wares, we can have a better understanding of exported Chinese ceramics during this period.
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