Chapter VIII Porcelain of Liao, Jin and Xia Dynasties
Liao Dynasty was a local regime established by Qidan (Khitan) tribe in 916. Porcelain of Liao was mainly white porcelain. Those like the one on the left have white glaze with carved designs. There were also ones
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in black glaze with green glittering dots. Liao porcelain is divided into two parts: the Qidan type and the central plain (central China) type. Within the Qidan type, chicken head pot in the shape of leather bag and wine vessel in the shape of chicken leg are most well-known.
  
A Leather Bag Like Pot A Big Chicken Head Pot
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Section II Porcelain of Jin Dynasty
Jin Dynasty was also a local regime established by the Nš·zhen tribe at the later period of Nothern Song in the northeast and north China regions. Before Jin took Yanjing (today’s Beijing) as its capital, its porcelain production was mainly in the northeast region. Most glaze was a little muddy, because clay bodies touched fire and burnt directly, however, at this time, the Jun Kiln was still in operation, which was extended to Hebei and Shanxi provinces. Big purple dots appeared in the azure blue glaze, there were also moon white and lavender grey glazes, and the quality of these porcelain wares were not next to those produced in the Northern Song period. After Jin took over Yanjing, production at Ding Kiln and Guantai Kiln in Hebei, Jun Kiln in Henan, Yaozhou Kiln in Shaanxi and Cicun Kiln in Shandong were all active and their products were of strong local flavors.
Section III Porcelain of Western Xia Dynasty
The Western Xia Regime began in 1032 and ended in 1227. Its porcelain was mainly excavated in the areas of Ningxia, Inner Mengolia and Gansu. Its porcelain products vividly reflected the rough and masculine temperament of the people on the yellow soil land, as we can see from the comparison between the glazed flower patterns and the cut-off parts around these flowers where the rough black clay was exposed, and some of the carving was only done to the layer of the white paste clay to be compared to the brown glaze, in other cases black plum was painted on the inner wall or bottom of the grey or yellow glazed bowls. All these made its porcelain products very unique in the history of Chinese porcelain.
