Cradle of Chinese celadon and 'dragon' kilns 2009-1-3   
Beyond swords (a story in themselves), Longquan offers even more pleasure, especially for lovers of Chinese porcelain.

For more than 1,000 years, Longquan has been renowned for its exquisite celadon -- both a type of distinctive transparent green glaze and a kind of ceramic or porcelain fired with that glaze.

It ranges from pale to deep green and some is likened to green jade in color.

The art of celadon making started in the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280 AD) and Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD) and reached its highest point in the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties.

The celadon made in Longquan and neighboring areas was usually bowls, plates, vases, jars and other vessels.

The shades can also be white, gray, blue green, with the famous shades known as kingfisher green, powder blue and plum green -- the green comes from iron oxide ore in the clay.

The celadon crazing or cracked glaze is especially famous, though initially produced by accident, or so the legend goes.

Of all the kilns and workshops unearthed by archeologists in Longquan, those of the Dayao area are of the finest quality and craftsmanship.

Dayao is now a state-level cultural relics reserve.

Dayao, known as Liutian in ancient times, is about 42 kilometers south of Longquan County.

The area is rich in high-quality porcelain clay and purplish gold earth containing iron ore necessary for the glaze.

Abundant pine forests for firewood and nearby rivers made the area ideal for porcelain making. The firewood and iron ore contributed to the sword making craft.

Wandering through the rustic fields in Dayao you can see shards of porcelain and pottery, many from the Song and Yuan dynasties, scattered about and embedded in hillsides.

The walls of many mud houses are decorated with imbedded pieces of ancient pottery.

Archeologists in Dayao and nearby areas have discovered more than 50 kilns and workshops along 16 kilometers of mountain slope. Excavations at some sites unearthed some huge "dragon" kilns -- so called because of their shape, about two meters in width but 50 to 80 meters in length.

They could fire 10,000 bowls and other vessels at one time.

Digs also unearthed crude rectangular workshops, stone pestles, pounding instruments made of iron as well as rectangular earthen ovens. Potters' huts were found nearby.

Longquan's celadon industry was influenced by celadon technology in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-979 AD).

Longquan first achieved renown in the Northern Song and its works were considered masterpieces in the late Southern Song.

There are traditionally two major types of Longquan porcelain, namely the Ge (elder brother) ware and Di (younger brother) ware.

The two brothers, the elder named Zhang Sheng the First, and the younger Zhang Sheng the Second, were highly skilled.

Ge ware had cracked patterns while Di ware was flawlessly smooth and even.

Porcelain lovers will enjoy the Longquan Celadon Porcelain Museum and the Celadon Porcelain & Sword Making Industry Park. Some works of art displayed at the museum are more than 1,000 years old, with the finest glaze and delicate carving.

There are many charming modern works for sale.

A contemporary plum-green vase made by a master may cost tens of thousands of yuan while a modern five-piece tea set in the same beautiful green could cost less than 100 yuan (US$14.60).

For nature lovers, this is heaven.

Air quality in Longquan is said to be the best in the province, mainly due to its plentiful forests and many species of plants.

Huangmaojian, rising 1,929 meters above the sea level, is the highest peak in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces; it's a great place for hiking, offering a breath-taking view of the sunrise and the surrounding area.

Cliffs, waterfalls, canyons and crystalline lakes can all be found in the Longquan Mountain Scenic Area.

It's a popular summer resort. The year-round average temperature is 12 degrees Celsius.


How to get there

It takes about seven hours to drive from Shanghai. There is also a train to Lishui city, then a bus transfer. From Lishui to Longquan is about 120 kilometers.



Where to stay

There are many hotels for different budgets.

In the Longquan Mountain Scenic Area, the new Longquan Mountain Hotel near the peak offers excellent facilities and beautiful scenery.



Othoer sights:

Other attractiors

Former site of Zhejiang University Longquan branch:

Established in April 1939, it was operating in Fangxia Village (renamed Fangye) for seven years during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).



Souvenirs and delicacies

Swords, porcelain, fungus, tea

Both fungus and tea are tasty and organically grown in mineral-rich soil. They are famously good for the health.