Goryeo is known as the land of celadon. To this day, splendid Goryeo celadons are renowned throughout the world as one of the cornerstones of Korean culture. But many people do not realize that, in addition to celadon, Goryeo also produced white porcelain vessels, as exemplified by this white porcelain prunus vase, which is said to have been excavated near Gaeseong in Gyeonggi-do Province (present-day North Korea). Unlike celadon, which tends to emphasize the luminous jade glaze, this vase attracts the eye with the soft white color of its base clay. In addition to being a rare extant example of Goryeo white porcelain, this vase also exudes a distinct beauty from its unique aesthetics.

Showing the typical form of a Goryeo white porcelain prunus vase, this one has a wide mouth, full shoulder, narrowing waistline, and slightly flared base. The body is divided into six vertical sections by indented lines running from top to bottom. This lobed shape, which resembles a chamoe (Korean melon), is often seen in Goryeo celadon.

A ruyi pattern was embossed around the lower neck of the vase, followed by a ring of lotus petals, which were also embossed around the base. Notably, many Goryeo celadons feature a similar decorative scheme, with stylized lotus petals around the upper body and base. Thus, this vase seems to demonstrate how both the form and designs of Goryeo white porcelain were modeled after celadon.

But the most significant features of this vase are the unique inlaid designs, which were innovatively created with celadon clay. In each of the six sections of the body, a large diamond or leaf shape was delicately engraved and then filled with a layer of celadon clay. The celadon clay was then further inlaid with white and black clay to produce designs of peonies, reeds, willows, and a waterside landscape. The peonies look quite lovely, while the waterside scene of reeds, birds, and willows conveys a lyrical sense. Based on these details, the vase is estimated to have been produced by the kilns in Yucheon-ri, Buan.

Hence, this special vase can be seen as an amalgamation of white porcelain and celadon in a single vessel. In fact, this is the only known example of a white porcelain vessel with double inlaid designs made from celadon clay and other types of clay. Moreover, the white and jade-green colors are nicely harmonized. A network of fine hairline cracks can be seen throughout the layer of bluish-white glaze, and some areas around the bottom became slightly distorted during the firing process. Even so, this extremely rare white porcelain vase clearly showcases the proficiency and creativity of Goryeo ceramists.

Archaeological research has shown that white porcelain was produced in brick kilns that were constructed around the time that porcelain first appeared on the Korean Peninsula. Early celadon pieces were found in the lowest layer of the deposit at the kiln sites in Seo-ri, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Province, while white porcelain was primarily found in the upper layer. These findings suggest that the kilns initially produced celadon before gradually shifting to white porcelain.

White porcelain was also later found at kiln sites in Buan and Gangjin, the two representative areas for celadon production. This discovery confirms that white porcelain was produced during the heyday of Goryeo celadon, although not in mass quantities. During the Goryeo period, various types of white porcelain were made by imitating the form and designs of celadon. For example, when inlaid celadon was popular, white porcelain influenced by inlaid celadon was produced, as this vase demonstrates. But the emphasis always remained on producing celadon, rather than white porcelain, reflecting the overall preference of the Goryeo people. Because Goryeo white porcelain was only produced in relatively small quantities, very few examples have survived intact, which is why this vase is such an important relic.

Some scholars have suggested certain factors that may have limited the technical advancement of Goryeo white porcelain. For example, in Goryeo, the clay and other natural materials may have been less white or less attractive than those used in China. Also, white porcelain likely never became a priority in Goryeo due to the flourishing of celadon technology and production, starting from the late eleventh century.

Interestingly, scientific analyses of white porcelain artifacts excavated from kiln sites in Yucheon-ri, Buan, revealed significant differences from the clay typically used to produce Goryeo celadon, indicating that Goryeo white porcelain and Goryeo celadon were made from different types of clay. However, the clay used to make inlaid designs on Goryeo white porcelain was very similar to the clay used to produce Goryeo celadon. There are also strong similarities between the glaze used for celadon and white porcelain, revealing the mutual relationship between the two types of ceramics. Analyses also showed that the mineral particles of Goryeo white porcelain likely melted at firing temperatures ranging from 1200 to 1250 degrees Celsius, which is higher than the required temperatures for Goryeo celadon.

In the Goryeo period, white porcelain was used to make both practical household items, such as bowls, plates, cups and saucers, cases, and lids, and items with special purposes, such as incense burners, prunus vases, and sculptures of arhats. The methods for expressing designs on white porcelain are similar to those used with Goryeo celadon, including incising, embossing, and inlay. In addition to this inlaid vase, two other quintessential examples of Goryeo white porcelain are a prunus vase with incised lotus design and a bottle with incised lotus design.

The prunus vase has a wide shoulder that curves down to a constricted waist, which is the typical form of a Goryeo celadon prunus vase. However, the bright white color immediately identifies this vase as white porcelain. A lotus design was incised on the body with the blade held at an angle, for a more three-dimensional look. The peony was depicted in great detail, including the veins of the petals and leaves. A band of lotus petals was carved around the lower body, below which is a fret pattern that is traditionally known as the “lightning design.” Although the glaze has peeled off in some areas, the overall form is almost perfect. In fact, this is an exceptionally rare example of an extant Goryeo white porcelain prunus vase engraved with such intricate designs.

Meanwhile, the white porcelain bottle has a slender neck and a voluptuous body, highlighting its beautiful curves. The area where the neck meets the shoulder is incised with a ruyi design, while the main body is incised with a resplendent lotus design. Similar white porcelain shards were found at a kiln site in Yucheon-ri, Buan that is known for producing splendid Goryeo white porcelain. Thus, this bottle is also estimated to have been produced in Yucheon-ri. Unlike Joseon white porcelain, which was made with kaolin clay that could withstand higher temperatures (above 1300 degrees Celsius), Goryeo white porcelain was made from “secondary clay,” a more common clay that requires a refining process. Therefore, Goryeo white porcelain is closer to soft-quality white porcelain, with an ivory color and a softer overall impression. These white porcelains enhance the ceramics culture of the Goryeo period, which is often known simply as the era of celadon.