Goryeo Celadon

Timeline

1. c. 920–1000Kilns around Kaesong · KaesongAfter its founding, Goryeo continued the celadon traditions of Silla and Wuyue; early products had yellowish-green glazes, and the body quality and forms were still in a learning stage, mainly commissioned by the court and Buddhist temples.
2. c. 1050–1120Gangjin kilns · Gangjin CountyFrom the mid-eleventh century, the glaze became lustrous like jade, the forms elegant, and decorations such as lotus-petal and cloud-dragon motifs matured, becoming one of the Goryeo dynasty's most representative craft achievements.
3. c. 1120–1230Buan kilns · Buan CountyThe inlay technique involved carving designs and filling them with white and black clay before glazing and firing; patterns of flowers, birds, clouds, and cranes were exquisite, with the parrot-motif meiping as a masterpiece, marking the peak of Goryeo celadon craftsmanship.
4. c. 1231–1392Southwestern Korean Peninsula · Korean PeninsulaRepeated Mongol invasions damaged the kiln industry; after the fourteenth century inlaid celadon became rarer, and after the Joseon dynasty was founded, aesthetic tastes shifted to white porcelain, bringing Goryeo celadon's era of craftsmanship gradually to a close.