The Changsha ware of Hunan is a provincial pottery which appeared in the mid to late Tang period. While there is no mention of it in the historical records or extant literature of the time, the actual kiln site was discovered in 1956 at Tongguan in Wancheng country. Falling pretty much into the category of folk art, the work, although coarse in nature, is robust, vibrant, and inventive. Production was also prolific, as seen by the volume of material that has turned up on the market. Although not as important as the Yue wares in terms of export, Changsha ware was nevertheless significant in this respect, and material can be found in Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and even in West Asia across the barren wastes of the Silk Road.

The body is generally a coarse, buff-colored or occasionally greyish stoneware; however, a lighter, almost white body was also used. Some pieces have a coating of white slip beneath the glaze so as to enhance the intensity of its color.

The commonest glaze in Changsha ware is an iron based ash glaze fired in reduction, which gives a range of colors from yellowish beige to light olive green, and which tends to undergo crazing to produce a fine crackle. There is also a group of pieces entirely glazed in brown or a characteristic opaque bluish-green. Surface decoration is provided by reserve areas, applique, and painting, the Changsha kilns being the first to use underglaze colors. This is of importance as it sets a precedence for the underglaze blue and underglaze red porcelains of Jingdezhen, the major product of the Chinese ceramic industry in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Painted patterns include human figures, birds, beasts, floral motifs, occult and auspicious animals, and rarely, tigers, coconut trees, and exotic dancers and musicians reflecting an interest in the exotic from Central Asia.

Changsha wares are noted for the innovation of their glazes, and one effect still baffles technicians today: the presence on the same piece of copper red, which requires a reduction firing, and copper green, which requires oxidation. Whether there is some reducing agent in the red glaze, allowing it to achieve its color in an oxidising environment, or whether some pieces are fired once for each color, is still a mystery and testament to the advanced know-how of the Tang period.

The commonest forms are simple dishes and bowls, often painted in underglaze brown or green with crude but lively renditions of floral and leaf patterns. Another favourite form is the ubiquitous jug (probably for wine) which usually has a bulbous body and a short neck, although shape and proportions tend to vary. These jugs have short, faceted spouts with six to eight faces, and a handle opposite the spout. In the majority of instances, there are also two ring handles, one on each side. The most famous decorative schemes on these pieces are short poems formed of five-word stanzas brushed on in underglaze brown, and the rarer appliquéd medallions depicting floral patterns, lions, foreign grooms, dancers or musicians, bunches of grapes, stupas, and so forth. These medallions are first formed in moulds before being attached to the piece, usually beneath the spout and the handles. They are often highlighted by splashes of brown glaze so that the areas of high relief show up lighter where the dark glaze thins naturally. Also present in substantial numbers are the little animal and human form whistles and toys, glazed similarly to the vessels. Bird whistles are the most abundant, while miniature riders of all types are much less common and eagerly sought after. However, as with all Changsha pottery, whole, unchipped pieces are a great rarity.

In view of its freshness and spontaneity, Changsha ware is a pleasure to own.