龙泉青瓷制瓷习俗简介

龙泉瓷业在上千年的传承过程中，形成了独特的制瓷习俗：

【拜祖师爷】哥窑弟窑的创始人章生一、章生二被后人尊为窑业祖师爷。过去在烧瓷的龙窑、鲤鱼窑的窑头，都张贴有“师父榜”。师父榜除祀师神位外，并附祀山神、土地、搬水章子、运水郎君。每逢农历初二、十六两日，瓷匠必须置办酒肉、茶饭、点香烛在窑头师父榜前祭祀，磕头膜拜，然后分食祭品，俗称“过日”。

【择基建窑】建窑首先请风水先生择定吉地和黄道吉日才能开工建窑。开工时，要在窑地设祭礼神，以求烧出好瓷器。建窑日严禁儿童、孕妇入窑池，也不许有人挑粪桶从窑地前经过，以防触犯神灵，降祸于窑。

【祭窑】农历七月十八日为祭窑日，俗传这一天是哥窑祖师章生一“窑变瓷器”制成的日期。届时窑匠要沐浴斋戒，在祖师爷的香案上放置用面捏成的童男童女，在窑头师爷榜前设祭，点香烛跪拜，祈求祖师保佑烧出优美瓷器。

【窑场用膳】窑工在窑场用膳不能说话，用膳时碗筷不能碰响桌子，也不能把筷子架在碗上。

【入窑】入窑要择三、六、九的日期，并要祭祀祖师、山神、土地。在入窑的整个过程中要讲吉祥语，要严禁秽物经过，防止秽气入窑，影响烧窑。

【做窑福】在龙泉不管是建瓷窑、瓦窑、炭窑时，在窑旁都要立“窑公”。开窑点火必先祭祀“窑公”，并备酒肴请师傅，即做窑福。

    Celadon Making Customs in Longquan

Longquan has its unique customs of celadon making, which come down through centuries of inheritance:

Worshipping the Founders  The founders of Ge and Di Kilns Zhang Shengyi and Zhang Shen’er are worshipped by later generations in the occupation of celadon making. In the past, there would be a list of masters posted up on the front of the dragon-shaped kiln or the carp-shaped kiln. There were also board places for gods of mountain, land, waters. On every 2nd and 16th of a month in Chinese lunar calendar, celadon craftsmen would offer sacrifices of wine, meat, tea and rice, light candles and incense, and make kowtows on knees to the founders. After the ceremony the food would be shared among by them. This custom is commonly called “making a living”.

Selecting a Site for Kiln  To building a kiln, it would be a must that only after a geomancer had chosen a lucky day could the construction of a kiln be launched. When the construction began, a site of sacrifices would be placed and prayed for the production of fine celadon. On the starting day of a kiln, children and women were not allowed to enter the site, nor were any farmers who carried barrels of night manure, for fear that gods would be offended and disasters be fallen onto the kiln.

Offering a Sacrifice to Kiln   On the18th July of Chinese lunar calendar, legend has it that this was the date that the founder of Ge Kiln Zhang Shengyi successfully produced the first kiln of celadon. When the time came, craftsmen would take a bath and abstain from meat and wine. They placed a boy doll and a girl doll which were made of flour onto the Founder Altar, offered a sacrifice at the kiln head where the post of its founder was put on the front of kiln, and lighted incense and kowtowed on knees with a hope that the founder would protect them to produce fine celadon.

Dining at the Site of Kiln  Celadon burners were not allowed to speak when having diners, nor could they make any sound when putting down chopsticks and bowls on table, nor should they put chopsticks on bowls.

Entering the Kiln   To enter the kiln it must be on the dates with figures of 3, 6 and 9 and offer a sacrifice to the founder, gods of mountain and land. In the whole process of entering a kiln good words should be spoken. Dirty things should not be passed by in case bad smell entered into the kiln and affected burning.

Blessing the Kiln  In Longquan, whether to build a celadon kiln, or tile kiln or charcoal kiln, it was necessary to erect an statue of “Kiln Father” and offer a sacrifice to him before starting burning. And masters are given wine and food. This custom is popularly called “blessing the kiln”.