Cizhou ware

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Cizhou ware or Tz'u-chou ware (Chinese: 磁州窯; pinyin: Cízhōu yáo; Wade–Giles: Tz'u-chou yao) is a wide range of Chinese ceramics from between the late Tang dynasty and the early Ming dynasty, but especially associated with the Northern Song to Yuan period in the 11–14th century. It has been increasingly realized that a very large number of sites in northern China produced these wares, and their decoration is very variable, but most characteristically uses black and white, in a variety of techniques. For this reason Cizhou-type is often preferred as a general term. All are stoneware in Western terms, and "high-fired" or porcelain in Chinese terms. They were less high-status than other types such as celadons and Jun ware, and are regarded as "popular", though many are finely and carefully decorated. Alone among major types of Song ceramics their effect largely depends on decoration in contrasting colours, usually in black on white, but sometimes polychrome. At this time, unlike later periods, ceramics for the court were "relentlessly monochrome", and Cizhou wares are not mentioned in the large quantities of "tribute wares" given from the provinces to the emperor, of which much was redistributed, or perhaps sold; "Confucian esthetics emphasized simplicity." It was named for Cizhou, a prefecture now called Ci County in Handan in southern Hebei, one of the main centres of production. Most Cizhou ware uses a transparent glaze applied on a white slipped-body, with further decoration chosen from a wide variety of techniques.