Chinese Pottery and Porcelain

Pottery and porcelain have over 8,000 years of development in China. Both colored and black pottery was common in ancient times. Terracotta was at its best in the Qing dynasty, and tri-colored pottery reached its zenith at the time of the Tang dynasty. During this period, the glazed porcelains came alive with yellow, green, blue, brown, black and white colors.

Chinese porcelain began flourishing some 3,000 years ago during the Shang dynasty and is one of China's greatest cultural treasures. During the Han dynasty, black and celadon porcelain were mainly produced. Celadon, a type of glaze that resembles the color of jade, saw continued development throughout the dynasties. By the Tang dynasty, celadon porcelain had developed to a high technical standard.

The porcelain wares of the Song dynasty are considered classics. By the Song era, artisans had reached a high level of sophistication in design, firing and glazing. As a result, pieces from this time strike a perfect balance of shape, glaze and artistry.

The capital of porcelain is undoubtedly Jingdezhen, which is located in Jiangxi Province. With over 1,700 years of porcelain production, it continues its seminal role in Chinese porcelain arts and industry.