The history of Chinese ancient pottery dates back to Paleolithic times. Since the Stone Age, people have been creating and producing delicate and colored potteries for ceremonial purposes. The earliest form of pottery appeared in Jiangxi, a location south of the Yangzi River. At first, these projects were a reflection of their social and economic lives. When archaeologists excavated these ancient pottery, it became an indicator of the cultural development of a society. There were three main types of pottery: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Earthenware can be made using 1000 to 1200 degrees Celsius, and are easy to build. Stoneware are coated with a glaze or glass that is fired at about 1100 to 1300 degrees Celsius. Last, porcelain is the most valuable project than stoneware or earthenware because of its translucence and fine appearance. By 3000 BCE, craftsmanship has exemplified and more advanced pottery started to appear, such as: jade carving and the development of bronze.
The fragment of the oldest clay-fired pottery discovered in Xiarendong Cave that is estimated to have been made in 18000 BCE.
Chinese Pottery During Tang Dynasty 618 to 906 CE
A large straw-glazed pottery made in Early Tang dynasty (618-907 CE)
The first Tang Dynasty pottery were earthenware figures that were mainly used for funeral purposes in tombs. Also, the invention of the San-t'sai three-colour (green, yellow/amber, cream) or cobalt blue lead-glazes appeared. The manufactured porcelains and potteries had a significant impacts on Chinese history. Tang pottery, made from a combination of kaolin and feldspar was characterized by its translucent white clay body, fired at a temperature between 1250-1450 degrees Celsius. It was the thinnest yet hardest ceramic ever developed. This was a delicate and ornamental sculpture. Until eight centuries later, this was discovered and later on produced in the West as well.
Chinese Pottery During Song Dynasty 960 to 1279 CE
Many historians agree that the Song Dynasty was the golden age for pottery because the inventions and projects. Many works were more subtle and characterized with flourishing colors and patterns such as: flowing monochrome glazes and a depth of color that moves the viewer contemplate. Also, the variety of classic kilns: Ru (汝), Guan (官), Ge (哥), Jun (鈞), Ding (定) wares; as well as the Longquan (龍泉) celadons, were famous even until today. Those pottery kilns were used for imperial purposes as a symbol of aesthetic perfection.
A Painted Cizhou “Fish” Truncated Meiping Northern Song Dynasty (960-1234)
Chinese Pottery During Yuan Dynasty 1280 to 1365 CE
Blue and white qinghua made during the Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan dynasty started to change the appearance of Chinese pottery and porcelain a bit. After the Mongols invaded the north part, many fled to the south, making Jingdezhen (景德鎮) the center of porcelain production for the entire empire. In the market, the most famous pottery became the underglaze blue decoration, also known as blue-and-white (qinghua, 青花). Yuan Dynasty potteries replaced Song Dynasty's monochromes and adjusted it into thicker and heavier objects.
Chinese Pottery During Ming Dynasty 1368 to 1644 CE
The Ming Dynasty was influenced by the European Renaissance cultures and developed a wide variety of new arts and pottery/ ceramic arts. The signature feature, porcelains, were considered as one of the most significant projects of Chinese. It also slightly changed Chinese market economy by linking with Europe and exporting arts. Under the rule of the Chenghua Emperor (1464-1487), workers embraced multicultural patterns and newer methods other than white or blue gazes. Workshops discovered more painted designs and modeling which brings a foreign taste.
Jar with Carp Design (1522-66) displayed in Indianapolis Museum of Art. Carved and made by unknown Ming ceramicist under Jiajing Emperor (1521-1567).
Chinese Pottery During Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912 CE
The Qing Dynasty was believed to become the peak of Chinese pottery production was seen in the reigns of Kangxi (1661-1722), Yongzheng (1722-1735), and Qianlong (1735-1796) during which improvement was seen in almost all ceramic types, including the blue and white wares, polychrome wares, etc. The improved enamel glazes of early Qing Dynasty being fired at a higher temperature also acquired a more brilliant look than those of the Ming Dynasty.
The development of porcelain in the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong times during the Qing Dynasty (Approximately 1644 AD-1912 AD) was believed to become the peak in the history of Chinese pottery, only behind the Song Dynasty. During those periods, many new varieties were explored and innovated for imperial uses, since a variety of porcelains with distinctive colors, distinct levels and rare were manufactured. The designs were very exquisite that are often compared with the carved "national porcelain" (國瓷). The monochromatic glaze, blue and white, red in glaze, enamel, famille rose and other varieties of the dynasty all have extremely exquisite appearances and innovative varieties. Qing Dynasty Art embraced more glaze colors and meticulously painted scenes. However, during the Qianlong period, the outbreak of the Revolution in 1911 brought to an end the history of the development of ancient Chinese ceramic.
Familie rose (粉彩瓷) made in Qing Dynasty with a variety of colors and multicultural designs
