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Earthenware was used along with colored decorations during the neolithic period. Usually the vases would have a red or white base. Black was used later during the Longshan culture, when it flourished.
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The invention of porcelain was very important to the Chinese Culture. There are two types of the porcelain: táo or cí. Porcelain is thought to have been invented during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
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Even after the Han Dynasty's collapse, porcelain was still produced during the Three Kingdoms, Jin Dynasty, and Sui Dynasty period.
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Celedon porcelain, or jade green porcelain, was produced towards the South of the Yangtzu river.
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Due to the increase in tea drinking and exporting goods to western countries during the Tang Dynasty, porcelain production and exportation increased greatly during this period.
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During the increase of production, two types of porcelain were widely recognized in the empire: Xing in the North and celadon in the Yue area. Both gained a reputation in the empire and celadon porcelain is still produced in the Yue area to date.
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Recognition of porcelain was highly appreciated in Muslim countries and trade was conducted on the northern Silk Road, even after the battle of Talas in 751, when the Tang Empire lost control of their Silk Road trade routes.
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During the Song dynasty, one of the first emperors chose Jingdezhen in the Jianxi Province as the imperial production center and remained that way for over 900 years.
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At around the same time as the last event, the town was made famous for their large kaolin deposits in a nearby hill. Because the hill was tall, and gao is tall and ling is hill, whereas "kaolin" literally translates to "high ridge", is how the clay-like substance received its name.
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Although white porcelain was more common in Jingdezhen, colbalt and blue porcelain was highly prized in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Yue celadon porcelain was still in favor.
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After the defeat of the Song Dynasty, courtesy of the Mongols, the Silk Road trade was re-established and blue and white porcelain was still favored.
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Due to bleeding of the cobalt into the lovely white, manganese, a mineral found in several foods, was added to prevent distortion of the artwork.
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During the Ming Dynasty, the rulers made a dynastic law saying that all porcelain used for religious purposes was to be white.
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Due to the appearance of iron in the Dehua area, the warm ivory-like color was much appreciated in the empire.
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The ivory Dehua porcelain as well as the white and blue Jingdezhan porcelain were both sent to Europe and highly valued.
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A Portugese ship full of pieces of Ming porcelain was captured by Dutch people which started the porcelain mania in Europe. Because the pieces were sold at such a high price, they got the name "white gold" for their price and color.
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With the Manchu conquest of the Ming dynasty, the porcelain production and export was reorganized and heavily supervised by the emperor's court administration.
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During the Qing dynasty, personal and specially ordered porcelain art became quite valued in America and Europe. People sent portraits and even statues to the porcelain creators and were sent back porcelain with that design.
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Even after the discovery Europeans made (they could replicate the porcelain themselves) the porcelain from china was still highly prized and relatively inexpensive.
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In 1712, a man visited Jingdezhen sent a letter about porcelain that was widely read and assisted in the making of European porcelain. Chinese labor was worth less so the porcelain was cheaper when the European was more expensive, especially with the newfound method.
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Modern porcelain is still the same durable porcelain as it always is. The cup I have is an actual Chinese porcelain cup made in China (technically from China-Town in San Francisco). My mom bought it and said that this was the only one I could bring because she wouldn't necessarily be sad if I or someone else broke it... but please don't break it.
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Future porcelain would still be produced in Jingdezhen because it is the porcelain capitol.
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Porcelain gains a more durable product that prevents cracks and destruction to retain it's value.
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Due to reduction of enjoyment of the arts, porcelain production is moved to robotic factories which puts many out of jobs.
