SMALL JAR, Silla Pottery, Silla Period（668–900CE）

This small jar is a piece of Silla pottery, fired at high temperatures in a climbing kiln. Its hard texture is palpable to the touch, conveying a sense of durability. The ash that has settled on the shoulder creates a landscape of cool desolation, a serendipitous outcome of the firing process. In contrast, the carefully applied rim reflects a human aesthetic sensibility. This juxtaposition invites contemplation on the coexistence of nature and humanity. It would harmoniously complement the wildflowers that bloom at our feet each day.

The origins of this type of stoneware can be traced back to the hard earthenware known as gray pottery from the Shang Dynasty of ancient China. The technique of high-temperature firing in large climbing kilns was transmitted to Silla, which sought to unify the Korean Peninsula during the Three Kingdoms period.

It is believed that the techniques of Japanese Sue ware were also introduced from Silla around the 5th century. Replacing the Haji ware, which is part of the Yayoi pottery lineage, Sue ware subsequently became a dominant form of ancient Japanese ceramics. Fired at temperatures between 1000 and 1200 degrees Celsius, these vessels are characterized by their hardness, marking a departure from the fragile and easily crumbled pottery of earlier times, and thus spreading their influence across the world.