History of Ceramics
Ceramics began in China 8,000 years ago during the New Stone Age. The earliest earthenware was moulded by hand. In the beginning, clay was fired at a temperature of about 500-600 degrees celsius. During the period of Yangshao and Longshan Cultures, painted pottery,black pottery and carved pottery came.
Over the following centuries innumerable new ceramic technologies and styles were developed. One of the most famous is the three-colored ware of the Tang dynasty(618-907 AD), another type is the celadon.
Blue and white porcelain was first produced under the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368 AD). Potters of the subsequent Ming dynasty (1368-1644) perfected these blue and white wares.
During the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), porcelain was enriched with the innovation of five-coloured wares. Applying a variety of under-glaze pigments to decorative schemes of flower, landscape and figurative scenes.
The peak of Chinese ceramic production was seen in the reigns of Kang Hsi (1622-1722). Yung Cheng (1723-1735) and Chien Lung (1736-1796) of the Ching dynasty during which improvement was seen in almost all ceramic types, including the blue and white wares, polychrome wares, wucai wares, etc.
http://www.chinaetravel.com/china/ceramics.html
http://www.arttiques.com/about_history.html
http://www.gg-art.com/China/gg_art_china_index_e.php
