Lidded box with wish-granting jewel (yeo’uiju) design
Plain Celadons
Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) blue-green glazed wares, called cheongja in Korean, have been held in the highest esteem since their first appearance in the late ninth century. These wares are popularly known to the Western world as celadons, a class of ceramics with a distinctive pale bluish-green glaze, varying slightly in color from culture to culture. The initial production of celadon was closely related to Seon (Zen) Buddhist philosophy and popular tea culture, which were widespread among the court, the aristocracy, and Buddhist monks. Tea culture was not only ingrained in national and religious rites, but also was a part of people’s daily lives. Representing the core principles of Goryeo aesthetics and belief, celadons offer important clues to understanding people’s lifestyles of the time.
By the early twelfth century, Korean potters had discovered the secret to creating celadons and were making objects that not only followed Chinese imperial wares but improved upon them. In fact, in 1123 an emissary from the Chinese imperial court praised the beauty of the jade-colored glaze and the elegant forms of these Korean ceramics. During the twelfth century, a wide variety of celadons were produced for ritual and everyday practices, including inkstones, water droppers, brush stands, kundikas, roof tiles, teacups, bowls, dishes, and more.
Plain (non-inlaid) celadons are displayed in this case, showing various techniques: incising, impressing, molding, embossing, and openwork. Although all these works are categorized as celadons, the variable conditions in firing created glaze colors across a wide spectrum, from dark green to light blue. Goryeo ceramics were fired in high-temperature reduction kilns with chamber compartments that were installed on slopes. Producing celadons required a high level of technical sophistication and extreme care. As noted by the scholar Yi Gyubo (1168–1241), only one out of ten of these wares met the extremely high standards of the Goryeo court.
