The ancient porcelain-firing kilns of Shandong belonged to the system of dome kilns in North China. The present paper analyzes the 24 ancient kilns discovered in this region as to their shape in plan, internal structure and changes in fuel. It divides them into five types, sums up the features of each type, and points out their advantages and shortcomings, as well as technical changes. In the light of difference in fuel, the author assigned these types to two stages respectively. At the earlier stage, i.e. from Type I to type III, the fuel was firewood, and the third type of kiln constituted the mature form among the firewood kilns. At the later stage consisting of Types IV and V, coal was used as fuel, and Type V became the mature coal kiln for its proper structural proportion.
