Discovery delays opening of Yaoshan Hill Park

Yaoshan Hill Park in Pingyao Town, Yuhang District, was expected to complete construction by the end of last year. Now, the local government has announced the opening has been delayed until June because of a huge surprise.

Ceramic fragments were dug from the site last April. The project was immediately halted, and professionals from the Zhejiang Institute of Archeology were called in.

Excavations lasted from April to July. Finally, a large number of cracked porcelain pieces were unearthed from a 1,000-square-meter area. The institute has said the site is believed to have been a production center mainly manufacturing vessels for the royal court of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

Construction plans were soon adjusted and a new pavilion will be established to cover the excavation site. Meanwhile, Pingyao Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum is going to display the items found.

Twelve kilns were brought to light along with a brick wall. The vessels are brownish-green in color with a half-glazed surface. Early-style celadon originating from Longquan County and Qingbai crockery created in Fujian Province were also discovered. Firing techniques were considered simple and effective compared with counterparts dug from other places.

The kilns measure about 12.2 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width each, and went through five phases of renovation according to the layers of fragments. The ceramic pieces were piled 2 meters high, showcasing its large scale at the time.

There are many types of vessels, from plates and bowls to funnels and bottles. The so-called hanping (literally “Han’s vessel”) account for the majority.

According to historical documents, hanping were used to contain water in the army of General Han Shizhong, who served in the Southern Song Dynasty and performed many legendary deeds in wars. People named the vessel after him.

The unearthed vessels were believed to be manufactured for General Han during wars between royal court and the Jurchens. Since they were made in a hurry, most of them feature a rustic texture.

During the following dynasties, hanping were the equivalent of army water bottles during that period, and in modern times provided historians with material to learn about how soldiers lived then.

In the past, people considered the Yixing Kiln in Jiangsu Province the production center of hanping. The excavation in Yaoshan has changed that.

“In archeology, hanping are categorized as a wine vessel. The Southern Song Dynasty implemented a strict wine consumption system that forbade private production and transactions. The manufacturing of wine vessels was exclusive to the royal court. To a greater degree, these kilns are imperial property,” said Xie Xiying, leader of the excavation team.

The discovery explains the origin of the town’s name — Pingyao means “vessel kiln.”

The town nestles beside the Tiaoxi River, along which is the region believed to be the origin of China’s primitive ceramics. The core area of the Liangzhu Neolithic Relic Site is on the opposite riverbank.

During the Shang (c. 16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c. 11th century-221 BC) dynasties, people began to paint black patterns on the surface of pottery objects. Around the same period, people along the river started to experiment with primitive porcelain, which were later to be discovered among goods in graves alongside other pottery vessels.

However, the town was often flooded in summer and residents moved to the foot of Yaoshan Hill, which was dotted with kilns but later were ruined throughout dynasties according to archives.

The name of the hill implies its association with firing potteries — Yaoshan means “kiln hill.” Today, people still discover ceramic pieces on the hill.

In the past few years, local government has given the town a facelift. A drainage system has been upgraded to prevent floods and folk houses have been renovated in a uniform style.

Yaoshan Hill Park is going to integrate landscape and cultural relics.