Craft:Chinese traditional handicraft with thousands of years history

Origin:Luoyang

Tang San Cai, also called Tricolor Glazed Pottery and a gem of ancient Chinese art, is a kind of handmade glazed ware of exquisite craftsmanship created in the Northern and Southern Dynasty (386-589) about 1,400 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the production of Tang San Cai reached its peak, which is part of the reason the pottery got the name of Tang San Cai.

Luoyang, named the eastern capital in ancient times, in Henan Province was the home of Tang San Cai, and most of unearthed Tang San Cai was found in Luoyang.

Tang San Cai is a polychrome handicraft with yellow, green, and white as its major tones. It is fired with lead glaze and presents a harmonious complex of varied colors, deep and light. The process is complicated: first, bake the ready mode in kilns until the temperature reaches 1,100oC, then take it out and apply glaze on it; bake it again in kilns at a temperature of about 900¡ãC.

Tang San Cai items that have been unearthed include horses, humans, and even pillows, and camels, of which the pottery camel is one of the best. Its head rises high, as if telling stories about merchant caravans along the Silk Road in the remote past and the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

Being the gem of ancient Chinese art, Tang San Cai absorbed the advantages of Chinese painting, sculpture and stone carving. It features fleshy figures, regular and exquisite technics, compact carving traces, and smooth lines, indicating the high-level of the craft reached in the Tang Dynasty. Tang San Cai is primaryly divided into pottery tomb-figures and daily commodities.

After the founding of new China, specialized institutions have been set up to study the technics of making Tang San Cai, which has boosted the development of the craft.

Rich Artistic Connotation & Historical Background:

The artwork is a Tang Dynasty tri-coloured pottery figurine in the style of Chinese palaces, named "Phoenix Head Water Jug".

It showcases the exquisite craftsmanship and rich cultural significance of ancient Chinese art.

This piece was crafted with meticulous attention to detail, making it highly valuable both artistically and historically.

Firstly, this artwork employs traditional tri-coloured pottery techniques, which involve the use of glazes to create a range of colours and textures.

This technique has a long history in Chinese ceramics and represents the pinnacle of ancient pottery art.

Secondly, the theme of this artwork is the Phoenix, a mythical bird that symbolises happiness, harmony, and prosperity in ancient Chinese culture.

The design of the Phoenix Head Water Jug cleverly incorporates the image of the Phoenix into a functional object, demonstrating the reverence and admiration that ancient Chinese artists had for nature.

In addition to its artistic value, this artwork also has practical uses.

The Phoenix Head Water Jug can be used as a teapot, allowing people to enjoy the image of the Phoenix while sipping their tea.

This combination of functionality and artistry makes this piece both visually appealing and useful.

Overall, the Tang Dynasty tri-coloured pottery figurine - Phoenix Head Water Jug is a cultural treasure that embodies the rich history and artistic heritage of China.

It not only showcases the unique charm of ancient Chinese ceramics but also reflects people's yearning for a better life.

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