Jack Troy on thu 15 aug 96
A number of people have sent me inquiries about visiting China, and I'd like to
follow up my recent message with the titles of a couple of books I found most
helpful.
First, the Lonely Planet's _China_ guidebook is super, and contains a good
reading list of its own.
Of particular interest to clayfolk are a couple of books I picked up:
I recommend a fine paperback: _Ten Major Museums of Shaanxi_ published by Xian
Branch of China National Publications Import and Export Corp,No 93 Nan De Jie,
Xian, China.The ISBN # is 962-331-015-3.
(Our group visited 8 of the 10 museums).
Xian is a great place to visit - so many museums and archaeological sites within
an hour or so.
If you can get to Xian, you'll be able to visit the Terra Cotta Army and other
places easily, but of special interest to potters is the Yaozhou Kiln in
Tongchuan, about an hour north of the city. You'll see the carefully excavated
kiln sites from the Tang and Song dynasties. There's also a working pottery
with interesting coal-fired kilns making sagger-fired celadons and oil-spot
glazes. And, yes, there are seconds, if you ask for them. (Apparently nobody
ever had, provoking a bit of a tizzy amongst the guides).
The book, _Yaozhou Kiln_, is published by the Shaanxi Travel and Tourism Press,
which I assume is in Xian. ISBN# 7-5418-0506-8/J . 98 It's one that should be in
every good ceramics library, imho.
In Beijing a couple of us were taken to a new high-end antiques market that
appeared to feature ceramics of all kinds. Lu Pin Chang, who teaches sculpture
at Central Academy of Fine Arts directed us there. (his address is Wang Fu
Jing, Beijing, P. R. China.). But he doesn't moonlight as a tour guide, so don't
expect him to do more than furnish the name and address of the place). Even if
you're on a budget, just being able to ogle and handle some superb hares-fur
teabowls ($200-$400; cheaper if a Chinese individual bargains for them. Unfair?
In China, adapt to such unfairness is my advice; many people make about
$50/month) and Jun-ware bowls with those unctuous robin's egg blue glazes
flashed with purple finch tones - ummmm...gets you right between the
belly-button and the pubic arch!
Jack Troy
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