【转】唐三彩 英文介绍

Tri-colour Tang Pottery

The tri-colour glazed pottery in the Tang style is a Chinese art that dates back 1,300 years. It is so named because it has red, green and white all on one object. Those produced in Luoyang, Henan Province are the best known in China. Prior to the Tang Dynasty pottery could only be produced in a single colour.

Tri-color glazed pottery was valued for its integration of the national style along with a distince local flavour. The artists skillfully combine molding with exquisite lines that are pleasing to the eye. In the glazing process, the different colours are dissolved together in low heat, so that they blend just right, producing a fine multifarious effect.

The tri-colour pottery of the Tang Dynasty excavated in Luoyang are composed of wine cups and vessels used by imperial families and articles that were buried with the deceased. These artifacts revealed a part of palace life that flourished during the Tang Dynasty. The quality and quantity of the funeral objects were determined by the rank of office of the deceased. (TOP)

Reproduction and imitation of ancient Tang pottery was begun a hundred years ago by some enterprising peasants in Luoyang. They started out with a few designs in small kilns in their homes as a hobby to make a living during their spare time and reproduced only a few varieties. Besides, superstitious notions considered the recreatin of funeral objects as unlucky. That is why the imitation and development of tri-colour pottery never caught on in those days with some people destroying them at sight. Those that were reproduced did not exceed 50 cm in height.

However, after the founding of New China, more experienced peasant craftsmen organized themselves in 1955 into what is now the Luoyang City Folk Art Society. They reproduced the artistic products during slack seasons and it was not until 1959 that women also joined the trade. Today in order to continue studying and further develop this ancient art, the Luoyang Pottery Factory was established. The figurines of esquisite workmanship include handsome horses, life-like camels, lively singers and dancers, the imposing heavenly king with a phoenis on his crown, court jesters, grooms and animals used as funeral objects. Golden camels bearing silks and local specialities were recent reproductions between China and Western countries during the Tang Dynasty. Among the articles the biggest stands 160 mm.

The tri-colour Tang pottery, continuously improved through the centuries, has now been developed even fruther and its varieties have reached several hundred. The once tri-colour glaze has grown to include yellow, purple, black and blue while the artistic quality has also been raised.

The clay of Luoyang excels in viscosity, purity and pliancy while it is at the same time surprisingly hard and strong. It is superb for making pottery.

唐三彩就是把“黄、褐、绿”作为基本色，增加一些特殊的工艺焙烧后会有各类颜色。在上色中，青的注解为天蓝色。

From： http://wenda.tianya.cn/wenda/thread?tid=67b3584ee8d49fef