Chinese celadon on display in Zhejiang

The exhibition Contemporary Chinese Celadon opened at the Zhejiang Art Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Dec 9. On display are celadon wares by contemporary artists from all around China, such as Beijing, Zhejiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, which fully embodies the recreation of the traditional celadon art.

The event will run through Dec 16, 2014.

Celadon, a famous type of ancient Chinese stoneware, came into being during the period of the Five Dynasties (907-960). It is characterized by simple but refined shapes, jade-like glaze, solid substance and a distinctive style.

Celadon's Chinese name "qingci" means "greenish porcelain". Celadon was the hero of the French writer Honore d'Urfe's romance L'Astree (1610), the lover of the heroine Astree. He was presented as a young man in green and his dress became all the rage in Europe. And it was just about this time that the Chinese qingci made its debut in Paris and won acclaim. People compared its color to Celadon's suit and started to call the porcelain "celadon", a name which has stuck and spread to other countries.

A visitor looks at celadon wares on display at the Zhejiang Art Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on Dec 9.[Photo by Shi Jianxue/asianewsphoto.com]