Chinese Longquan ( ) celadon, a type of green-glazed ceramic, is one of the most famous branded and trade products, particularly during the 13th and 14th centuries. Its archaeological and historical materials possess multiple attributes with plentiful cultural information. The objective of the present book is to vivify these materials and provide readers and researchers a broader perspective and additional methodologies to review and gain a new and more profound understanding of Longquan celadon. The first part of this book focuses on elite Longquan celadon in Chinas Southern Song (SS) (11271278) and Yuan (12711368) periods and sets out to answer unresolved questions. How did Longquan potters elevate their products artistic quality from regional and popular acclaim to elite art, and create their products brand and successful marketing? What was the ceramics technological particularity that brought about its achievement as the commercial version of SS Guan (Imperial) ware? Why did its style change, and why did the production center shift after the end of the Southern Song period? In addressing these issues, the author explores the contemporary social atmosphere and local ecological environment. The second part focuses on elite Longquan celadon products as imports in medieval Japan. Beginning with the late Kamakura period (11921333) via the Muromachi shogunate (13921573) to the Edo (16031868) periods an extensive time span elite Longquan celadon ware circulated widely within elite class communities and Zen temples. These products played a crucial role in shaping medieval Japanese culture, bringing to the fore issues such as the Japanese manner of adopting Chinese Song and Yuan culture, and more generally cross-cultural transmission from China to Japan.

Science has played a crucial role in the initial stages of westerners' collecting and studying ancient Chinese artworks and archaeological materials. The relevant scientific data were quickly generated using progressively sophisticated examination techniques. But the task of integrating scientific data with archaeological and art historical resources, and developing a workable interdisciplinary study method, has lagged behind scientific endeavor. Part One of this book explores the modes and functions of the scientific resources available and their integration into interdisciplinary study methods and models; pre-war researchers particularly emphasized that their studies of Chinese artistic/archaeological materials were scientific. Improvements in precision and advanced specialization of examining instruments and techniques resulted in substantively more detailed scientific data, particularly in the post-war period. This brought with it new research dimensions and increased knowledge of targeted samples, and also greater challenges to the integration of interdisciplinary study. In Part Two, Meili Yang establishes a feasible method of interdisciplinary study in terms of five case studies related to Chinese Song ceramics. Relevant data are provided and professionally explained, resulting in critical new information related to contemporary ceramic technologies. This technology information leads us to the recognition of the uniqueness of each single artwork and the artisan's individual intention and critically, recognition of the close association with contemporary society and culture at the time of manufacture. Utilizing this new method of interdisciplinary study, modern science, ancient technology, and art and society are seen to have explicit connections. The author not only broadens scholars' and readers' perspectives regarding ancient ceramic craft, but provides a rigorous methodology applicable to interdisciplinary studies across other disciplines.