Ancient architecture is always full of mystery, as if every brick and tile carries its own legends, and the Shenyang Imperial Palace is no exception. However, few people know these magnificent glazed bricks and tiles were baked in the Huangwa kiln in Haicheng City, Liaoning Province.

Recently, the Liaoning Provincial Museum and Anshan Cultural Tourism Development Center co-hosted the exhibition Find glaze: the history and cultural relics of Haicheng Huangwa Kiln, which unveiled the mystery of the Huangwa Kiln.

Huangwa Kiln is a large-scale imperial kiln in Shengjing area in the Qing Dynasty, mainly responsible for supplying glazed bricks and tiles required for the construction of royal palaces, temporary imperial palaces, tombs and temples. From the early period to the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Huangwa Kiln witnessed the rules of twelve emperors, with the time span of over 290 years, almost throughout the whole Qing Dynasty. During this period, despite several ups and downs, the production of glazed bricks and tiles has never been interrupted.

Since 2002, the Anshan Museum has continued to investigate and excavate the site of the Huangwa Kiln. A large number of glazed bricks and tiles inscribed with “Dazheng Hall”, “Yongling” and “Fuling” were discovered, providing valuable physical material for the study of politics, economy, culture and even architectural art of Liaoning in the Qing Dynasty.