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hst137

“Artisans in Irons”

The past few weeks, I was fascinated by the unknown craftsmen and potters that created the widely praised and appreciated items. I was excited to dive into the study of convict and unfree laborers and artisans in Artisans in Early Imperial China and their varying “degree[s] of control over work, restriction of movement, restriction of life choices (212).” Ultimately, using unfree workers typically depended on the skill level required for the given task, the potential physical harm of completing the task, and the expected decreased financial loss of commissioners (213).

As I was reading, I was surprised by how the notion of involuntary labor also counted because its inclusion points to the inclusion of many more “unfree artisans,” like the conscripted artisan (zu) (213). In early China, peasants were drafted into civilian and military labor services (214). The government tried to show fairness in terms of length of conscription and number of conscripted artisans, especially during planting periods (218). It was illegal “to conscript more than one registered adult from the same household at the same time” (217). Further evidence indicates that the officials were ordered “to exhaust all other sources of labor (especially convicts) for tasks such as transport duty before mobilizing any peasants” (217). There is clearly a hierarchy among the different kinds of involuntary artisans.

Blog post refers to Chapter 6 of this book. Image source.

Bibliographic Reference

Barbieri-Low, Anthony J. Artisans in Early Imperial China. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2007.

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hst137

Reflection on Ceramics and Porcelain

The discussion with other students via Hypothes.is was helpful and insightful. I studied the workforce behind and the types of kilns for porcelain from the readings. From my classmates’ posts and additional readings, I learned the history and production of porcelain. Porcelain was first made in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). It then was popularized and expanded in the following era, in the Ming dynasty (1368-1844). There are different kinds of porcelain, depending on the region and time period, and each have its own techniques, glazes, and appearances that make up its identity. Chinese porcelain was valuable in trade and ended up in various parts of the world. However, despite porcelain’s rich history, specific directions on how to create porcelain was not recorded or shared until the 17th century–several centuries after its discovery.

Similar to printmaking, there was a lack of attention to the creating process of porcelain until much later. The artists and laborers that make these important objects were also not the focus of history, despite their major role in society.

Things I Learned this Week

  • There was an ambiguous coexistence between imperial and private kilns.
  • Jingdezhen is known for the making of porcelain.
  • Emperors oversaw the production process of porcelain because of how important the porcelain objects were.

Bibliographic References

Finlay, Robert. “The Pilgrim Art: The Culture of Porcelain in World History.” Journal of World History 9, no. 2 (1998): 141-87.

Gerritsen, Anne. The City of Blue and White : Chinese Porcelain and the Early Modern World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020.

Ho, Soleil. “The Rich, Complex History Hiding Within Chinese Plate Designs”. Thrillist, June 10, 2019. URL: https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/chinese-plate-design-history

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hst137

First Annotated Bibliography

NOTE: I changed my topic to the broad topic of porcelain. I am still trying to narrow down my question. I am leaning towards comparing the gendering of porcelain objects themselves to the gender demographic of the workforce of potters.

Pierson, Stacy. “The Movement of Chinese Ceramics: Appropriation in Global History.” Journal of World History 23, no. 1 (2012): 9-39. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41508050.

This article focuses on Chinese ceramics as exports through the lens of art history, world history, and economics. The value of ceramics is conveyed in the exchange networks and consumer cultures. It especially highlights the movement of Chinese porcelain to 16-17th century England and Iran and its effect in China. The paper shows the value of specifically blue-and-white porcelain and mentions it origins. Unfortunately, the majority of the paper discusses Chinese porcelain outside of China, but I would like to keep my attention within the country. The article was found in a database in a revered journal, and it was cited more than forty times.

Smith, Kate. “Manly Objects?: Gendering Armorial Porcelain Wares,” In East India Company at Home, 1757-1857, edited by Kate Smith and Margot Finn, 113-130. London: USL Press, 2018. https://10.2307/j.ctt21c4tfn.13.

This chapter questions whether porcelain armorial services were gendered. It studies the relationship between British men and porcelain in the eighteenth century, revealing societal thoughts of Chinese porcelain in British culture. Again, although the chapter discusses non-Chinese perspectives, it encourages me to dive into the gendering of Chinese ceramics and porcelain as well as their potters and production. Gender roles have been hinted at each week but never fully the center of attention.

Ko, Dorothy. (The Social Life of Inkstones). Interview with Carla Nappi. Artisans and Scholars in Early Qing China. Podcast audio. May 18, 2017. https://newbooksnetwork.com/dorothy-ko-the-social-life-of-inkstones-artisans-and-scholars-in-early-qing-china-u-of-washington-press-2017.

This podcast emphasizes the importance in the production process. Dr. Ko shares her research process of a specific material or object, which includes successfully making it by hand. One portion of the podcast, Dr. Ko and Nappi discuss an accomplished female inkstone maker, Gu Erniang. Gu Erniang’s husband passed away before having any children, so her father-in-law taught his inkstone-making skills to her. She became one of the most popular and well-known inkstone makers and often taught her skills to men. She was taught because there was nobody else, and then she teaches other men, indicating that most inkstone makers are male. This thinking can be applied to potters, too. Dr. Dorothy Ko is a cultural historian who specializes in gender and body in early modern China. Her current research focuses on women’s artistry and skills in textiles, which constitute an alternative knowledge system to male-centered textual scholarship.

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hst137

Ceramics and Creators

Before diving into the content, I would like to note and appreciate the seamless transition from last week into this week. The understanding of historic objects and materials is rooted in the earnest learning of their production and their creators.

Chapter 9 of The City of Blue and White : Chinese Porcelain and the Early Modern World focuses on the ceramic workforce in early China, including the types of laborers and craftsmen; division of labor; their abilities; their pay rate; the relationship between this kind of work and tax, family, and government; and the management of these workers.

The imperial and private kilns managed to coexist and sometimes benefit or lose from each other. Skilled laborers were consistently in demand. The administrators of imperial kilns hired skilled workers from private kilns. Both the quality and quantity of the imperial kilns’ porcelain vessels were typically below those of private kilns due to access to able potters, as well as the mindset of the craftsmen, and number of objects occupying the kilns when firing.

Because there was a distinct difference in quality of the demanded ceramics between those made by imperial kilns and those by private kilns, the private kilns could have issued higher prices for their goods and beat the imperial kilns. However, they responded, instead, by making lower quality objects–cheaper materials and fewer invested hours, but I do not understand why private kilns decided to go this route.

Blue & white palace-style bowl made by a private kiln.

Bibliographic References

Gerritsen, Anne. The City of Blue and White : Chinese Porcelain and the Early Modern World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020.

Ho, Soleil. “The Rich, Complex History Hiding Within Chinese Plate Designs”. Thrillist, June 10, 2019. URL: https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/chinese-plate-design-history

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hst137

Reflection on Books & Ink

During the week, I was able to read the first chapter of Joseph Peter McDermott’s A Social History of the Chinese Book : Books and Literati Culture in Late Imperial China. I learned about the (ambiguous) origins of printing and techniques, for example, for woodblock making. A surviving copy of the Jingang jing, published in 868 during the Tang era, appears to be the “oldest extant printed book” (11). However, Buddhist, Korean, and Japanese charms were created in the eighth century, using similar printing techniques (11). Evidence points to similar printings were occurring across East Asia, making it difficult to officialize the origin of printing.

The procedure of printmaking was not recorded in detail when these various prints were made; there were only brief notes from foreign observers that align with the time period of printing (12). The process of printmaking was revealed in the twentieth century in an interview, “some 1,200 years after the discovery of printing” (12). This discrepancy highlights the phrase that Dr. Dorothy Ko used, “head over hands.” There is a hierarchical aspect that distinguishes scholars and commissioners from artisans and craftsman. While there is more information about the commissioners, there is a limited amount of information about the art process, let alone about the artists.

Things I Learned this Week

  • The discovery of printing is debatable.
  • There is an established hierarchy between scholars and artisans.
  • Early Chinese emperors are materialistic and oversee the production of crafts.

Bibliographic References

McDermott, Joseph Peter. A Social History of the Chinese Book : Books and Literati Culture in Late Imperial China. Understanding China. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2006.

Podcast: New Books in East Asian Studies, interview with Dorothy Ko, author of The Social Life of Inkstones.

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hst137

Podcast Interview with Dr. Ko on her Book

Professor Dorothy Ko follows through with her research and publication of a given object if she is able to produce it. Without the intimate act of creation, Dr. Ko would be lost and would not understand the object of her research. She argued that the book or paper would be incomplete if she does not act as a creator. This statement clearly separates the maker from the scholar.

Her anecdote about her failure in weaving and spinning holds true to her commitment because she decided not to write about female weavers and spinners in the Qing era. Dr. Ko was unable to produce a final product correctly, so she abandoned that book project and studied embroidery instead, because she successfully created an embroidered object. I would consider this example as both an advantage and disadvantage. The advantage, on the one hand, is that there is definitely a newfound appreciation and awe for the artisans that possess the skills to make physical art that oneself is unable to do. On the other hand, all the research, passion, and excitement to share with others about the object from her own thoughts will now be hidden. The information gathered is still important, and since she put herself in the position of a weaver (and spinner) and tried to learn the skills to make something, shouldn’t she still invest the rest of her energy and efforts into taking this project to completion? I think there are more losses when the research is not published than when it is, despite the failure to make the object.

Ink stick gently placed in the water on the stone to “grind” the ink slowly.

Bibliographic References

Podcast: New Books in East Asian Studies, interview with Dorothy Ko, author of The Social Life of Inkstones.

Slides

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hst137

Reflection on Early Chinese Architecture and Buildings

I enjoyed this week’s focus on architecture in early China; everything was new to me. All other history courses I have taken never dedicated a part of the curriculum to study the different buildings, such as houses and palaces. It makes me consider, what makes a typical “American 20th or 21st century” house or a Korean traditional house? We can identify locations based on the buildings, by discerning between the suburbs and the city and the countryside. For example, when we look at a structure and categorize it as “European” or “Asian,” it is important to know which facets are convincing us that it should be and their significance.

So much information is conveyed through the architectural blueprint of the building as well as the furnishings that are maintained according to tradition and status. A major portion of designing and decorating a house is outside the power of the owner. It revolved around societal acceptance and understanding of socioeconomic status.

Even before constructing a house, much thought and consideration are put into the the materials of the house and the height off or into the ground it should be. The rules and levels of caution vary depending on the area and its climate.

Three Things I Learned this Week

  • There are established rules that society follows for decoration, size, and creation of a residential building.
  • So much history and beliefs are shown in the styles and decoration of buildings.
  • Dwellings are a representation of social order and societal status.

Bibliographic References

Knapp, Ronald G. China’s Vernacular Architecture: House Form and Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1989.

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hst137

My Idea for the Final Project

I want my final project to be about traditional Chinese percussion instruments. Since high school, I played two types of traditional Korean drums: janggu (장구) and buk (북). I have wanted to learn bits and pieces about Korean history and music through the events these instruments were used for. Korea and China have similar, as well as the some of the same, string instruments. I assume that there is Chinese influence on Korean instruments, meaning similar instruments were introduced into Korea as gifts and/or via trade. In addition, I would like to hear the music or rhythm made by a band of Chinese drums. In Korean culture, samul nori (사물놀이) is a genre of percussion music played by four different musical instruments. I would like to know more about early China’s percussion genre and compare the two cultures’ music.

It would be cool to learn about the long history between two countries. It can be learned through books, but also listening to the sounds and picking up the differences and similarities make learning more interesting. I think it is also important to maintain the culture of the past. Traditional music is still celebrated and included in special events, so clearly there is value in learning it.

EDIT: My final project idea is now completely different. Please look at my more recent blog post titled, “Annotated Bibliography.”

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hst137

An Important Space in Building a Dwelling

One of author Ronald Knapp’s main points from the second chapter of China’s Vernacular Architecture: House Form and Culture is the practicality of the space made and suitability to local conditions . The basic unit of early Chinese architecture is the jian, the rectangular space outlined by a wooden framework of four columns. For example, two adjacent rows of four columns, with space between the rows, create three jian. A jian is similar to, and can be, a generic room, but a jian, while it can have walls, can also be considered an open enclosed space. I found it interesting that there is always an odd number of jian, usually three or five, because if there are six timber posts, then two jian can be made, so it made me wonder. An odd number of jian creates a symmetrical building with a central area, a single jian. In a residence with two, four, or six jian, it is impossible to distinguish the central area between the two middle jian.

Diagram of three jian using eight wooden posts.

Bibliographic References

Knapp, Ronald G. China’s Vernacular Architecture: House Form and Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1989.

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hst137

Reflection on Money and Currency

I learned significantly from reading classmates’ posts, commenting on those posts, and reading other comments this week. When a change is implemented that concerns money, the entire society is affected, regardless of who or what–individuals, families, companies, governments. I have thought about the following idea constantly during the week: learning about the functions of and different stages of currency (coins, grains, textiles, and paper) allows me to learn about the various time periods from the same economic standpoint. Looking at something small consistently offers a fresh understanding to the values, ideals, and “main ideas” of each dynasty. By tracking the changes that occur over time, it automatically creates a timeline of history with money, or more generally, currency, as the variable in question.

In addition, I was able to learn so much from my classmates because I discussed the gods of wealth in my blog post, while my classmates focused on currency itself and provided an excellent overview of the history of currency in early China.

Three Things I Learned this Week

  • An expiration date was placed on money to encourage its use to maintain the economy.
  • Paper money was not successful.
  • Values of currency varied because the means of measurement varied.

Bibliographic References

Horesh, Niv. Chinese Money in Global Context : Historic Junctures between 600 BCE and 2012. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2014.

Von Glahn, Richard. The Sinister Way: The Divine and the Demonic in Chinese Religious Culture. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004.

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