The earliest Chinese pottery was earthenware, which continued in production for utilitarian uses throughout Chinese history, but was increasingly less used for fine wares. Stoneware, fired at higher … See more

In the context of Chinese ceramics, the term porcelain lacks a universally accepted definition (see above). This in turn has led to confusion about when the first Chinese porcelain was made. Claims have been made for the late Eastern Han dynasty (100–200 … See more

Tang burial wares
Sancai means "three-colours": green, yellow and a creamy white, all in lead-based glazes. In fact some other colours could be used, … See more

Imperial and private kilns
The very first imperial kiln was established in the thirty-fifth year of Hongwu. Before that, there were no systematic regulations on the state-demanded porcelain production. The law stated that, if the quantity of ceramics … See more

Chinese porcelain is mainly made by a combination of the following materials:
• Kaolin – essential ingredient composed largely of the clay mineral kaolinite.
• Porcelain stone – decomposed micaceous or feldspar rocks, historically also known as petunse See more

Important specific types of pottery, many coming from more than one period, are dealt with individually in sections lower down.
Early wares
Pottery dating from 20,000 years ago was found at the See more

Pottery classified as stoneware in the West is usually regarded as porcelain in Chinese terms, where a stoneware group is not recognised, and so the definition of porcelain is rather … See more