Joseon White Porcelain Kiln Site in Sanbon-dong, Gunpo

A yoji, or kiln site, is a place where earthenware, roof tiles, or porcelain were fired. Located on a hill 91–98m above sea level on the southeastern side of Surisan Mountain, this kiln site was used for firing porcelain during the Joseon period and sits atop a relatively steep rock face. Apart from the kiln itself, no related surrounding remains have been identified. The kiln has seven chambers, narrow at the firebox end and wide at the chimney end, showing the structure typical of Joseon white porcelain kilns, though the firebox itself is unusual in form. Bowls and dishes were found in large numbers, along with fragments of jars and various lidded vessels. In particular, many fragments of blue-and-white porcelain were recovered, with characters such as bok (福, blessing) and je (祭, ritual) written on bowls. This shows that the kiln produced not only everyday vessels for daily use but also wares for special purposes. The Geumsa-ri kiln site in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, a gwanyo (a kiln operated by the state), shows similar types of porcelain and a similar kiln structure, indicating that the two were in use in the same period (the first half of the 18th century) and illustrating the relationship between government kilns and ordinary kilns. Despite severe damage, the Sanbon-dong kiln site is an important relic of the late Joseon period, showing both the method of kiln construction and the relationship between government and ordinary kilns, and demonstrating that ordinary kilns, too, produced vessels for special purposes.

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Where it is

Region

Gunpo, Gyeonggi

Designation

Historic Site · 사적