Longquan celadon has been produced in Longquan, Zhejiang for over 1,700 years. The defining characteristic is the jade-green glaze — achieved through iron oxide in the glaze, fired in a reduction kiln at 1,280°C. The colour has been compared to jade since the Song dynasty, and for centuries, celadon was China's most exported ceramic.
The clay is dug from hillsides around Longquan. The glaze is made from local clay and wood ash. The kiln — a reduction kiln — must be held within a 20-degree window for six hours. Too hot, and the glaze turns grey. Too cool, and it turns brown. The jade green exists in a narrow band between the two.
Longquan celadon is not a museum technique — it is a living tradition. The kilns in Longquan have been firing almost continuously since the 10th century. Today, the same glaze, the same clay, and the same firing process are used to make bowls that cost $55 and vessels that cost $1,200. The difference is not in the craft — it is in the maker and the intention.