Page 57 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Ceramics from the Musi River

Figure 31. Bowl, fine cracks in well, diameter 19 cm, Song to
Yuan Dynasties, Jun Ware, C11–C14, from the Musi
River, Sungai Rebo site. Catalogue No. K1586.

Figure 30. Night urinal, height 18 cm, Tang Dynasty or earlier,
C3–C11, from the Musi River. Catalogue No. K1068. the Musi (Figure 29), may be from the Tang Dynasty or
earlier. It differed from similar ones from the Changsha
kilns in Hunan Province in lacking the slightly everted
that were exported came from the port of Yangzhou. foot ring, its lugs were horizontal rather than vertical and
Ten Tang Dynasty shipwrecks are known. Of these, only the spout, which has been reglued, is rounder and longer.
the Indonesian Belitung wreck included sancai ware in Its white glaze is almost completely degraded.
its cargo, and then only a total of 200 sancai pieces out Three night urinals from the Musi (K1068, K2150,
of a cargo of 60,000 artefacts. Consequently, QiQi Jiang K2542) are tentatively attributed to the Tang Dynasty,
(2009) concluded that most of the production of Tang but they may be either earlier or later (Figure 30). Such
sancai ware was used by the Chinese imperial and elite urinals were produced in China over a long period and
families in ritual performances, especially at temples, and similar forms from the Qing Dynasty, albeit lower, more
as burial objects. Its use as everyday objects was probably elongate, and with a different glaze, were also found in
restricted because its lead glaze was poisonous. However, the Musi (see later).
sancai ware was used for many purposes unrelated to food, Tang Dynasty ware, other than Yue and black glazed
such as temple architecture, water droppers, vases, ink kitchen wares, from the Musi was predominately found
wells, toys, decorations, etc. at the Pusri site. A total of 35 per cent of the 65 items
Koh (2010a) noted that Xing kilns mentioned above with recorded site information were from Pusri. It was
also produced quantities of sancai wares for practical use, closely followed by Boom Baru (29 %), then Batu Ampar
including bowls, plates, cups, censers and jars (unlike (17%), Sungai Rebo (15%) and Pulau Salanomo and
sancai wares from Gongxian and Xian kilns, which were Sungai Bunut (<2%).
for burial purpose only.) This Belitung wreck sancai ware
has been referred to as white-green stone wares, most of SONG AND YUAN DYNASTIES
which had heavily moulded decorations. And which were General
probably designed for display. The early-Song Dynasty (960–1279) was governed by a
Tang Dynasty sancai ceramics were uncommon in the series of military generals who centralised the bureaucracy
Musi River. They included a bowl attributed to the Mid-to and refocused the country on more conventional
Late-Tang period from the Xing kilns in Hebei Province Confucius principles than was the case with the Tang
(Figure 27). A globular storage jar minus its lid with cream Dynasty rulers. This included a greater reverence for
glaze over white body from the Musi (K934) was also ancestors and art, including ceramic art. Ceramic
produced in the Gongxian (Gonyi) kilns (see section on production expanded, especially after the move of the
Storage vessels). And two splashed green bowls (K1093, capital from Kaifeng to Hangzhou in 1127 with the
K2394) from the Gongxian kilns in Henan Province made creation of the Southern Song period. There was not only
during the 9th century, which were similar to those from a massive proliferation of ceramic kiln sites throughout
the Belitung wreck (Figure 28). the Southern Song territory, but also a developed
Green splashed goblets with modelled animals in sophisticated aesthetic and inventive technical advances
the bottom of the vessel, such as those from the Tang in ceramic production at these sites with an emphasis
Dynasty Belitung shipwreck, were seen from the Musi on graceful form and subtle glazes. The Song Dynasty
but not collected. was famous for its celadon, white and dark brown glazed
A single ewer with a dish shaped mouth with attached wares. Interestingly, changes in burial customs from the
rope handle and two simple horizontal strap lugs from Tang Dynasty resulted in a diminution in production

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