Tian Shaobo is an author about whom limited public information is currently available. One work by this author is held in the collection, Discovering Zhukou Celadon. Judging from its title and its common classification, the book is a historical read centered on a specific kiln site or type of celadon, and it has the character of an examination of archaeological discoveries and local ceramic history. Tian Shaobo's writing therefore shows an orientation toward physical remains and toward tracing the threads of celadon through the process of discovery, focusing on the connection between the objects themselves and the history of their place of production rather than offering a general history. Because birth and death dates, nationality, education, and professional experience are not clearly recorded, the author's personal life cannot be set out here, and readers can learn about the person mainly through this one work. On the available evidence, Tian Shaobo's body of work still appears slender, but Discovering Zhukou Celadon offers readers interested in the celadon and local kiln history of the Longquan area of Zhejiang a specific point of entry, and it allows them to reconsider the origins and value of Zhukou celadon from the perspective of discovery and textual research.
