📖 Cizhou Local Gazetteer

Established in the tenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty, its administrative seat was set in Fuyang County. The name was derived from Cishi Mountain, located to the northwest of the prefecture, known for its abundance of magnetite and its role as a major hub for its distribution thus it was named accordingly.

New Book of Tang - Geography: Huizhou, superior. Originally Cizhou, in the first year of Wude, it was established from Fuyang, Linshui, and Cheng'an of Xiangzhou. In the first year of Zhenguan, the prefecture was abolished, and Fuyang and Cheng'an were returned to Xiangzhou. In the first year of Yongtai, Xue Song, the Military Commissioner of Zhaoyi, petitioned to re-establish Fuyang of Xiangzhou, Handan and Wu'an of Mingzhou. In the third year of Tianyou, due to the similarity in pronunciation between "Ci" and "Ci," it was renamed. Local tributes: gauze, Cishi stone. Four counties: Fuyang, Wang. Handan, superior. In the first year of Zhenguan, it was assigned to Mingzhou. Wu'an, superior. In the sixth year of Wude, it was assigned to Mingzhou. There is tin. Zhaoyi. Superior. Originally Linshui, abolished in the sixth year of Wude, re-established in the first year of Yongtai, renamed. There is iron.

The Cizhou kilns produced white porcelain, black porcelain, and underglaze-painted ware on white backgrounds, among which the black-painted designs on white porcelain were the most acclaimed. The kiln's most distinctive creation was the porcelain pillow, often adorned with motifs of flowers and birds, folk tales, and popular lyrics of the time.