A chicken-head ewer from the Jin Dynasty (265-420). [Photo/Taizhou Museum]

The Looking Toward Mountains and Seas: Taizhou Kiln Ceramic Culture Exhibition will open on July 16 at the Taizhou Museum in East China's Zhejiang province, showcasing the region's ceramic heritage dating back 10,000 years.

Running until Oct 7, the exhibition features 142 cultural relics, including 74 precious items, marking the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the Shabu Kiln site and the 10th anniversary of the museum's opening.

The exhibition is divided into three sections, with exhibits tracing the evolution of Taizhou ceramics from Neolithic pottery to porcelain from later dynasties — highlighting how ancient communities used local clay and fire to create practical and artistic objects.

Among the featured items are pottery cups linked to early rice-farming culture, a proto-porcelain dog figurine that reflects ancient people's daily lives and creativity, and celadon pieces from the Shabu Kiln that showcase advanced craftsmanship.

The exhibition also presents artifacts from different historical periods, including chicken-head ewers from the Jin Dynasty (265-420) and incense burners from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), revealing the connection between ceramics, social customs, and people's aspirations.

Through these relics, the exhibition explores how generations of Taizhou people transformed earth and fire into vessels that captured their lives, beliefs, and aspirations for a better future.