Blue-White Porcelain
The Blue and White Porcelain, the treasure among Chinese porcelains, is characterized by refined and white quality, simple but elegant designs, bright colors, and rich pattern decoration. It also boasts artistic charms of Chinese Ink and Wash Painting, with both practical and ornamental functions.
Drawing the design with a cobalt pigment onto the stoneware body and painting over it with a transparent glaze creates the blue-white style, also known as "underglazed blue". The piece is then fired at a high temperature. The artistic value which distinguishes Blue and White Porcelain from other porcelains comes from its blue flowers. The materials of blue flower are rich in natural cobalt mineral, so it is easy to color and the color never fades. The decoration is commonly applied by hand, by stencilling or by transfer-printing.
The history of Blue and White Porcelain can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, but those were only very primitive blue and white products at that time. Baking blue-white porcelain originated in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). During the Yuan and Ming dynasties (1271-1644), blue-white porcelain became increasingly popular, and since the 14th century, manufacturers have shipped blue-white porcelain to world markets. The porcelain reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The Yuan Dynasty is a key period for the development of the firing techniques for blue-white porcelain in China. Blue-white porcelain had become a major porcelain product in China by the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).
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