7 Ming dynasty imperial kilns found in Wuhan
From： NetWriter：Date：2010-12-03
Seven imperial kilns from the Ming dynasty were discovered in Xinzhou by local archaeologists on Nov. 30.
The bricks in the kilns still bear clearly legible inscriptions "Production supervised by Liu Bowen," who was the main advisor to Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder and first emperor (1368–1398) of the Ming dynasty of China.
Nanjing's archaeologists even paid a special visit to Yangjiawan in Yangpu Village, Xinchong Town, Xinzhou District where the seven kilns were found. The Nanjing Museum confirmed that many large blue bricks used in the city wall and other ancient buildings were produced in Xinzhou and carry the inscription "Production supervised by Liu Bowen."
These relatively well-preserved kilns are one of the district's most important discoveries in the third national survey of cultural relics. The round mouths of the kilns are 3.5 meters in diameter, 2.5 centimeters thick, and 50 centimeters in depth.
The large blue bricks produced in these kilns also have another inscription including a person's name, "Liu Wenzhong," who temporarily assisted Liu in managing the kilns, according to Xie Xinming, curator of the Xinzhou District Museum.
A story has been passed down from the Ming dynasty, which says that Liu happened to pass by Xinzhou one day during the war between Zhu Yuanzhang and his main rival Chen Youliang and found it was an auspicious place based on geomancy. Therefore, he proposed that 100 kilns should be built there and later even supervised the construction and production in person.
The old people of Yangpu Village recalled that dozens of the 100 kilns were destroyed when the Jushui River Dam was built in the 1980s. Some villagers even used the unearthed bricks, which all bear the inscription, "Production supervised by Liu Bowen," to build their own houses.
The kiln complex is currently in the process of applying for heritage site status under municipal protection.
By People's Daily Online
The bricks in the kilns still bear clearly legible inscriptions "Production supervised by Liu Bowen," who was the main advisor to Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder and first emperor (1368–1398) of the Ming dynasty of China.
Nanjing's archaeologists even paid a special visit to Yangjiawan in Yangpu Village, Xinchong Town, Xinzhou District where the seven kilns were found. The Nanjing Museum confirmed that many large blue bricks used in the city wall and other ancient buildings were produced in Xinzhou and carry the inscription "Production supervised by Liu Bowen."
These relatively well-preserved kilns are one of the district's most important discoveries in the third national survey of cultural relics. The round mouths of the kilns are 3.5 meters in diameter, 2.5 centimeters thick, and 50 centimeters in depth.
The large blue bricks produced in these kilns also have another inscription including a person's name, "Liu Wenzhong," who temporarily assisted Liu in managing the kilns, according to Xie Xinming, curator of the Xinzhou District Museum.
A story has been passed down from the Ming dynasty, which says that Liu happened to pass by Xinzhou one day during the war between Zhu Yuanzhang and his main rival Chen Youliang and found it was an auspicious place based on geomancy. Therefore, he proposed that 100 kilns should be built there and later even supervised the construction and production in person.
The old people of Yangpu Village recalled that dozens of the 100 kilns were destroyed when the Jushui River Dam was built in the 1980s. Some villagers even used the unearthed bricks, which all bear the inscription, "Production supervised by Liu Bowen," to build their own houses.
The kiln complex is currently in the process of applying for heritage site status under municipal protection.
By People's Daily Online