In the light of the characteristics of local fuelspine wood Which has a high burning temperature and high flames, the famous Jingdezhen kiln was set up and improved by drawing the best of the Dragon Kiln, the Stairs Kiln and the Gourd Kiln and taking the good points of the Mantou Kiln in the North for reference. It has neither any types of shape bricks and complicated fume extractors, nor any auxiliary equipment in its structures. The gaseous atmosphere and temperature in the kiln is appropriately controlled only seizing the right time to throw wood and its amount. It has overcome the shortcomings of the Dragon Kiln and the Stairs Kiln in which are difficult to heat up the tail parts and the high temperature difference in the Gourd Kiln. Therefore, the Jingdezhen Kiln has held an important position in the history of porcelain kilns in China.
Today, many kiln models and the sectional drawings in proportions have been exhibited in showrooms of museums. There are three basic types of kilns: the Mantou Kiln, the Dragon Kiln and the Jingdezhen Kiln.
The structures of the Jingdezhen Kiln roughly include the following components:
1 Kiln entrance: the entrance for loading and unloading wares .During firing ,the lower part of the entrance is sealed and there is only a wood feeding port in the upper part for a Ceaseless supply of woods.
2.Front end :a place for fuel combustion and the grates and ash pit are in the part.
3.Large belly: It is so called as it is at the widest and tallest part of the front end. It is for firing of the topclass fine porcelain and high—glaze porcelain. The temperature is very high in this area and the firing temperature is between l300~l320??
4.Small belly: it is at the middle part of the kiln with less width and height that those of the large belly .It is for ordinary fine porcelain. The firing temperature is a little bit lower ,between l260-1300?.
5. LOW—temperature Area: 1t is called “the ideal zone” by the local people. It is for ordinary porcelains or low-temperature color-glazed porcelains .It has a low firing temperature ,only between ll70~1260?. Therefore, it is called the low temperature zone.
6. Guayaokou :It is at the juncture of the chambers and chimney and functions as the control of the direction and speed of flames and the draft control of chimney.
7. Residual Chamber :It is a chamber at the bottom of the chimney for loading and firing saggers and coarse porcelains
(such as Zhatai Bowl) .The firing temperature is between 1130~1170?.
8.Guanyin Chamber :It is the space created within the arch structure under the top of the kiln. Taking a look from the front of the kiln ,it looks like a temple.Thus ,it is called “Guanyin Chamber” (meaning the temple of the Goddess of Mercifulness) .It is used to accommodate bricks for repair the kiln.
9.Chimney :the front side of chimney is connected with the upper part of guayaokou and its back side with the back wall Of the kiln .The flue is above the residual chamber and connects directly with the chimney .Chimney is the very place which produces draft in the kiln.
10.Kiln Bottom :It is the base of the whole kiln and is at an angle of 3 degrees to the horizontal line .The bottom is covered with a layer of violet quartz sand on which saggers stand with Majiao half in the sand. It functions as a support to Stabilize the saggers.
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