How old are the Dehua porcelain kilns in Fujian?

Dehua porcelain kilns trace back more than 1,000 years, where archaeological work in Fujian uncovered kiln fragments linked with the Song dynasty, dating from the 10th century onward. Ceramic production expanded heavily during the Yuan and Ming dynasties after maritime trade routes connected Fujian ports with Southeast Asia, Japan, and the Middle East. Historical records describe long dragon kilns built along sloping hillsides, some stretched over 50 metres. Workers loaded thousands of bowls, figures, and cups into firing chambers before sealing entrances with bricks and clay and temperatures inside such kilns often passed 1,200 degrees Celsius. Fuel came mainly from pine wood gathered from nearby mountain forests. During the Ming dynasty, Dehua County supported hundreds of family workshops. Modern studies estimate that tens of millions of porcelain pieces left Fujian ports between the 1500s and 1700s. White religious figures formed only one section of production. Kilns made tableware, ritual objects, wine vessels, and export ceramics for foreign buyers. Excavated kiln sites still reveal broken shards, saggers, glaze drips, and firing supports. Chinese authorities placed several kiln remains under cultural protection during recent decades and modern ceramic schools in Fujian continue teaching methods linked with older Dehua traditions.