The Ceramics Gallery at the Shanghai Museum

Originally posted 25th March 2015

by The Pearl

Underglaze Blue Reclining Flask with Flower Design Jingdezhen Ware, Xuande Reign, (1426-1435) Ming Dynasty

The Chinese are rightly proud of their role in the vanguard of porcelain production.  And the Ceramics Gallery at the Shanghai museum plots the development of ceramics exceedingly well.  Not only that, but many of the shapes of pots produced over the centuries are extraordinary and a number are exquisitely beautiful.   For many years I had only ever heard of Ming porcelain vases as the best pottery around, ever, and they did produce some remarkable pieces, but there is much more to Chinese ceramics than Ming vases.  Having been born in Worcester and having gone to school for a couple of years opposite the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory and its museum I was aware of the development of porcelain in the UK, although had I been born in Stoke-on-Trent I would probably been more aware of how much effort the two Josiahs, Spode and Wedgwood, put into producing the first UK manufactured porcelain in the mid 18th Century. (The Meissen workshop in Germany were the first europeans to crack the formula in 1708, and the Medici Pottery made Faience, tin glazed earthenware, in 16th Century Florence). To put the above Ming porcelain flask in context, the Wars of the Roses started with the Battle of St Albans in 1455.

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Having enjoyed the gallery so much, I thought I would try my best to take you through the story of Chinese porcelain.  I’ve tried to make it enjoyable, but also to not lose the more important technical details.  So here goes.

6000-5200 BC Peiligang Culture
Red Pottery Jar with a Deep Belly.

3100 – 2700 BC Majiayao Culture
Painted pottery pot with string pattern

Humans in what is now China have been making pots by firing clay vessels made by the coiled clay method from as early as the 8th millennium BC, examples have been unearthed along both the Yangtze and the Yellow River valleys, which is where this Peiligang jar was found.  Three thousand years later the potter’s wheel was being used in some places. Various cultures around China can be identified by the differences in the workmanship and the decoration of their pots.  Some cultures such as the Majiayao decorated their pots and the decoration developed over time.

3100-2200 BC Liangzhu Culture
Black Pottery with a high handled lid

3800-3200 BC Songze Culture
Black Pottery Dou (Stem-Bowl) with openwork stem

The earliest white pottery found so far was made more than 7000 years ago in the Yangtze region.  Most shapes copied those of bronze vessels and some were decorated by making impressions on the clay.

16th – 11th century B.C. Shang Period
White Pottery Zun (Pot) with carved pattern

By the Shang Dynasty (1600BC-1100BC ) and the Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 256BC) proto-porcelains were emerging. The main differences between pottery and porcelain are that whilst pottery is made with ordinary clay which has an iron content higher than 3%, is fired below 1000°C (and it may or may not be coated with a low temperature glaze), porcelain on the other hand is made with clays with a low iron content (less than 3%), the pots are fired at temperatures above 1200°C and glazed.  The glazes, such as the transparent lime glazes, must be capable of withstanding this heat.  The use of lime glazes produces celadon, which requires a temperature of at least 1265°C.  The heat transforms the iron oxide content in the glaze from ferric to ferrous iron (Fe2O3 → FeO) during the firing process and must be done as a reduced firing (in the presence of potassium)

1600 – 1100 BC
Celadon Zun (wine vessel) with string pattern

475-221BC Warring States
Two-eared celadon with vertical stripes

AD 265-317 Western Jin.
Celadon Lion-Shaped Bixie (Evil spirit Exorciser)

otherwise the oxide in the glaze will

transform into black Fe3O4.  It is the ferrous oxide in the glaze that gives Celadon its green or blue-green colour.  Proto-celadon appeared at the same time as the proto-porcelain pots and by the first century AD true celadon porcelain was being made.

Meanwhile in 210BC–209 BC, the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was being buried with his terracotta army at Xi’an and there are signs that the whole army had been painted.  By the 4th century AD high quality Celadon pieces were being made in both north and south China.

Ad 25-220 Eastern Han
Pottery Duck with low-fired green glaze

Apparently similar to early Celadon, this duck is made from low-fired lead oxide glazed pottery. Powdered lead oxide was mixed with quartz in the ratio 3:1. The glaze was coloured by the addition of small amounts of copper (which turns it green) and iron (brownish yellow). Some green-glazed Han pottery has a silvery iridescence; this results from degradation of the glaze during long burial.  This is not porcelain.

The Tang Dynasty

During  the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) a polychromic glazed white pottery was produced, called Tang Sancai.  This too, is not porcelain; it is fired at only 800°C but the Chinese learned a lot technically from producing it.  Lead oxide was used to flux the glaze and copper, iron, manganese and cobalt were used as colourants.

AD581-618 Sui Dynasty
White Glazed pottery figurine of woman holding a jar

618-907 AD Tang
Polychrome glazed potttery figurine of woman with a parrot on hand

AD 618-907 Tang
Polychrome glazed Pottery Figurine of Equestrienne

Ad 618-907 Tang
Polychrome Glazed pottery jar

AD 618-907 Tang Dynasty
Polychrome glazed pottery Horse

The horse above right is about 60cm high and I find it quite extraordinary that things like  this have survived nearly 1500 years.

618AD – 907 Tang Dynasty
Celadon pot with Brown decorations
Changsha Ware

As well as learning to produce multicoloured pottery the production of porcelain went through a period of rapid development during this period (the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties Period (AD 618-960) spurred on, it is thought, by competition between factories in the north and south of the China which was split in two at the time.  The Changsha ware (or Tongguan ware) had free-form decorative shapes from iron (brown) and copper (blue) underglazes.  They also learned to make a successful red underglaze, used later by porcelain factories.

618AD – 907
Greenware Bowl
Yue Ware

In the Tang dynasty the production of Yue-wareceladon was concentrated in Zhejiang province, just south of Shanghai where yellowish-green and blue-green mise was produced and peaked in the Five Dynasties period (907–960) and early Song dynasty (960-1279).  Other kilns in this part of China went on to develop celadons further and by the Southern Song period (1127-1279) the Longquan kilns started to produce their renowned  “powder-green” (fenqing) and “plum-green” (meiziqing) wares. Many of these obtain a rich green colour from layers of glaze. They represent the supreme achievement of the whole celadon tradition.  Around this time Edward Longshanks (I) was on Britain’s throne.

AD 960-1127 Northern Song
Celadon Vase with Carved Lotus Petals
Longquan Ware

1127-1279 AD Song Dynasty
Celeadon Cong-shaped vase
Longquan Ware

AD 1271-1368 Yuan
Celadon Gourd-shaped vase
Longquan Ware

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AD 618-907 Tang Dynasty
White Glazed Spittoon

907AD – 1127 Five Dynasties – N Song
White Glazed openwork House-shaped pillow with a modelled figure

In the north white porcelain was being produced, the best quality known as Xing-ware.  White porcelain had first been made in the early 3rd century and over the subsequent 700 years the quality improved, the Tang referring to the best as like silver or snow.

The Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties

During the  Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties (AD 960 -1368) the ceramic industry flourished. Under the Song, the Ru, Guan, Ge, Ding and Jun kilns manufactured the 5 famous porcelain wares for the imperial court – the “Five Great Wares of China”

960AD – 1127 Northern Song
Washer
Ru Ware

1127-1279AD Southern Song Dynasty
Ge Ware
Jinsitiexian (gold thread and iron wire)

Rue ware has an ash-bray body entirely covered by a finely crackled sky-blue glaze with “sesame-seed” spur marks on the underside.  The least understood of the five famous Song porcelains is Ge ware: the so-called millet glaze is typical, but grayish-green glazes with crackles also occur. A glaze with large black crackles and small yellow crackles is called jinsitiexian (“gold thread and iron ware”).  Guan ware has a grey, black or yellow body covered by a crackled powder green, millet yellow or brownish yellow glaze.

907AD – 960 Five Dynasties
White Glazed Covered Jar with Incised Lotus Petal Design and “Guan” Mark
Ding Ware

960AD – 1127 Northern Song Dynasty
White glazed bowl with incised swimming goose design.
Ding Ware

Ding ware is light and delicate and mainly ivory white, decorated with carved, incised, folded or engraved designs. By the 10th century it was considered fine enough for supplies to be sent to the imperial court. Because Ding ware was fired upside down, resting on the rim during firing, most of the high-quality pieces made for the imperial court have rims covered with gold, silver or copper.

AD 1271 – 1368 Yuan
Sky-blue glazed square vase
Jun Ware

Jun ware is a famous porcelain of the Song and Jin dynasties (late 10th – early 13th century). It was produced at kilns all over Henan province, the finest quality being made for the imperial court.  Jun ware carries an opaque glaze coloured with copper or iron to give sky-blue, moon-white, rose-purple or crab-apple red.

AD 1127-1368 Song -Yuan
White carved covered jar with carved plum spray design
Jizhou ware

Another Song porcelain, but not one of the 5 great imperial ceramics, was Jizhou ware.  Jizhou produced qingbai (“bluish-white”) porcelain, black porcelain, and painted porcelain, being especially famous for the last two.

Song  – Jin Dynasty Celadons

Ad 960-1127 Northern Song Dynasty
White Glazed Hexa-tubed Vase with a lotus flower mouth and incised string pattern

960AD – 1234 N. Song-Jin Dynasties
Celadon box with carved lotus flower design Yaozhou Ware

The celadons made by the Yaozhou kilns in the Five Dynasties are the best ever made in northern China. Yaozhou is famous also for wares in a yellowish-green glaze and smoothly carved or molded designs. These were made in the Northern Song and Jin periods, and some were requisitioned for the imperial court.

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947AD -1125 Liao
Polychrome=glazed pottery phoenix-head ewer with appliqué decoration

In the north the country was under Liao and Xixia rule (10th-12th century).  The Liao dynasty covered Mongolia, northern China, northern Korea and far eastern Russia.  Their ceramics echoed their ethnic roots, as well as the traditions of polychrome Tang pottery, but were as technically as good as that of the Ding kilns.

Ceramic products from the Liao (10th 011th Century in the north)

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AD 1115-1234 Jin
Black oil-drop Glazed Bowl
Huairen Ware

In the four centuries of the Song to Yuan Dynasties, both north and south produced new varieities of black porcelain. The black-glazed “hare’s-fur” tea bowls made by the Jian kiln in Fujian province, with a pattern of radical streaks in the glossy black glaze, were apparently especially favoured for tea-drinking games. In The West they are sometimes known by their Japanese name of temmoku. Black glazed wares from northern kilns in Henan, Hebei, and Shanxi have spotted rather than streaked glaze and are called “oil-spot” or “oil-drop” wares. The Hare’s-fur and oil-drop glazes are similar in formation, owing their patterns to iron crystals that form within the glaze as it cools.

AD1271 – 1368
Pillow with Black Landscape design on white ground
Cizhou Ware

Cizhou ware was made in Hebei (Beijing is in Hebei).  It is a folk porcelain decorated by painting, inciting, carving and sgraffito where the colour of a lower layer is revealed by scratching away an outer layer.  In particular black or brown underglaze is used on a white ground.

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The Jingdezhen Porcelain of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (960AD – 1911)

1127-1279 Southern Song Dynasty
Qingbai (Blueish-white) glazed bowl with carved peony design
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1271-1368 Yuan
Blueish white glazed jar with carved cloud and dragon design
Jingdezhen Ware

1271-1368 Yuan
Blueish white glazed saucer
Jingdezhen Ware

The most important kiln of all from 960 AD to the beginning of the 20th Century was Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, which lies due north of Guangdong province the home of Hong Kong.  In the Song Dynasty it was well-known for its blueish qingbai porcelain, but during the middle of the Yang Dynasty in the 14th century it started to produce blue underglaze pieces of excellent quality in larger and larger quantities. This porcelain is called blue-and-white in the West.  By the time the Qing were in charge of the country the Jingdezhen was famous throughout the world.

1271-1368 Yuan
Foliated dish with underglaze blue design of melons, bamboo and grapes
Jingdezhen Ware

The blue underglaze made from cobalt oxide was painted under a near colourless glaze similar in colour to the qingbai glaze.  Initially the designs were densely painted in an intense shade of blue. Firing is around 1300° C.  These early pieces have been found in large quantities throughout the Islamic world and have been depicted in their miniature paintings, which seems to suggest that the production of this blue and white ware was driven by the Islamic market.

Very few of these early 14th century pieces have reign marks, whether from Imperial or folk kilns, but apparently many of the excellent quality unmarked pieces should be assigned to this time, rather than the later Ming period. The wares are underglaze blue, or underglaze blue with overglaze red. Doucai (designs outlined in underglaze blue and filled in with overglaze colours), and monochromes in white and green were also produced. The main product was however underglaze blue and many pieces are of superb workmanship and in Britain Edward III is on the throne……

The Ming Dynasty 1368–1644

AD 1368-1398 Hongwu Reign Ming
Bowl with underglaze red design of interlaced Chrysanthemums
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1368-1398 Hongwu Rein Ming
Bowl with underglaze blue design of interlaced Chrysanthemums
Jingdezhen Ware

Hongwu reign (1368-1398)

During the Hongwu reign (1368-1398) of the Ming period, Jingdezhen kilns produced underglaze blue, underglaze red, overglaze red and monochrome wares glazed white, blue, and red. Of these the underglaze red is especially prized.  Achieving a good colour was very difficult, particularly on large objects, as the copper oxide which produces the red colour is hard to control at high temperatures and is conducted in a reducing (low oxygen) atmosphere. The stunning red bowl on the right is at least half a metre across.

Underglaze blue was rarer than underglaze red in the Hongwu reign. The designs, made with domestic as opposed to imported cobalt, have a blackish-blue colour. Shapes are described as stout, with an easy naturalness.

Yongle Reign (1403-1424)

1403-1424 Yongle Riegn, Ming
Oblated pot with underglaze blue design of interlaced flowers
Jingdezhen Ware

During the Yongle reign (1403-1424) the official kilns at Jingdezhen produced imperial wares in large quantities in the Xainhong “bright blood-red”, Tinabai“sweet white” the colour of pure white jade, and underglaze blue porcelain, called Qinghua in Chinese and Blue-and-White in the West, entered a golden age in the Ming period.  The blue cobalt used was an imported pigment called smalt, which gives a sapphire blue speckled with black dots due to its high iron content.

AD 1403-1424 Yongle Reign Ming
Bowl with underglaze Blue design of fruits and floral Sprays
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1403-1424 Yongle Reign Ming Oblated pot with underglaze blue design of Camellia Sprays
JingdeZhen Ware

The Xuande reign (1426-1435)

Jingdezhen porcelains of the Xuande reign (1426-1435) include underglaze blue, underglaze red, and monochrome red, blue and white. As in the Yongle reign, the blue was imported smalt.  A very rare, delicately made Xuande ware called Wucai (five colours) is decorated in a vividly coloured underglaze blue and polychrome overglaze.

AD 1426 – 1435 Xuande Reign Ming
Underglaze Blue Recling Flask with Flower Design
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1426-1435 Xuande Reign Ming
Octagonal Candlestick with underglaze blue design of interlaced flowers
Jingdezhen Ware

The Chenghua Reign (1465-1487)

AD 1465-1487 Chengua Reign Ming
Dish with underglaze Blue Design of Lotus and Dragons
Jingdezhen Ware

Mid 15th C
Dish with underglaze blue design of two lions playing ball
Jingdezhen Ware

This is praised by the aficionados as the finest Ming period for porcelain.  The source of the cobalt changed for the Imperial pieces; this time it was local “pingdengqing” cobalt and it coloured the porcelain various shades of light blue.  Chenghua Doucai porcelain, with designs first outlined in underglaze blue and then filled in with colour over the glaze, is regarded as the finest coloured porcelain of the Ming period.  Also ranked among the finest Ming wares are monochromes in red, yellow, white, and peacock-blue, along with Ge-type and Guan-type wares.

AD 1426-1436 Xuande Reign Ming
Red Glazed Dish
Jingdezhen ware

AD 1465-1487 Chenghua Reign Ming
GE-type Bowl
Jingdezhen Ware

The Hongzhi Reign (1488-1505)

1488-1505 Hongzhi Reign Ming
Yellow Glazed Dish
Jingdezhen Ware

Three years after Richard III was killed at Bosworth and the House of the Plantagenets came to an end in the UK, the production of imperial court blue and white porcelain declined in volume.  However exquisite yellow-glazed porcelain, the finest ever produced, was being made in China.

The Zhegde reign (1506-1621)

1506-1521 Zhengde Reign Ming Dynasty
Dish with green dragon design on yellow ground
Jingdezhen Ware

The quantity and range of porcelain production increased during this reign.  Imperial underglaze blue generally now has a grayish tone owing to the use of domestic shiziqing cobalt from Ruizhu.

 The Jiajing reign (1522-1566)

With Henry VIII now on the throne in Britain, the quality of porcelain declined, but the quantity increased. The underglaze blue has a strong purplish cast owing to the use of “Mohammedan” cobalt.   Wucai and doucai wares are brightly coloured. Red-glazed and green-glazed porcelains with designs painted in gold also make their appearance. The production of monochrome wares increased significantly. The output as a whole is characterized by unusually wide variety of shapes and unusually many large objects.

In the official kilns’ quality declined but quantity rose during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566).

1533-1566 Jiajing Reign Ming
Jar with Wucai Design of Fish and Algae

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1621 the first year of Tinqi Reign Ming
Candlestick with underglaze blue designs of dragon medallions
Jingdezhen Ware

From this period until the early Kangxi reign  (1662-1722) the first of the Qing Dynasty there is little further development in porcelain production only in its volume.  Production at the imperial kilns declined eventually closing in the Wanly reign (1573-1619), but that at the folk kilns expanded dramatically in response to export demand. Unconstrained by the traditions of the imperial kilns, the potters created many new designs for export. The result was a new style now taken to characterize a “transitional period” from late Ming to early Qing.

 The Qing Dynasty (1622-1911)

The Kangxi reign (1662-1722)

With the start of the Qing Dynasty in 1622 (Kangxi reign) traditional techniques were revived and new ones invented.  The most important products of the period were peachbloom, Langyao-red (oxblood or sang de bouef), sky-blue, and green-glazed wares. Overglaze decorations such as wucai (underglaze blue and 5 colour polychrome overglaze) known as famille verte in the West and doucai (blue outline underglaze and blue filler overglaze) were also much refined in workmanship. Falangcai using imported enamels on high quality porcelain was a new invention of the highest quality and carried out at a court workshop in Beijing.

1662-1722 Kangxi Reign Qing
Blue-and-white double-spouted cruet with fruit trees
Jingdezhen Ware

1662-1722 Kangxi Reign Qing
Underglaze blue and red tripod washer with design of lotus pond and Mandarin Duck
Jingdezhen Ware

1662-1722 Kangxi Reign, Qing Dynasty
Dish with Wucai Design of Birds
Jingdezhen Ware

1662-1722 Kangxi Reign, Qing Dynasty
Jar with underglaze red design of Fish and Algae
Jingdezhen Ware

Monochrome porcelains of the Kangxi period include red, yellow, blue, white, green, purple, brown and black.

Monochrome porcelains of the Kangxi period include red, yellow, blue, white, green, purple, brown, and black.

To these the Yongzheng Reign (1723 – 1735) potters added lake-green, tea-dust, and robin’s egg glazed wares, along with copies of such famous Song wares as Guan, Ge, Ru, and Jun.

1723-1735 YongZheng Reign Qing
Dish with Fencai Design of Oversdie Peaches and Bats
JingDezhen Ware

1723-1735 Yongzheng Reign qing
Dish with underglaze Blue and overglaze red design of clouds and dragons
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1723 -1735 Yongzheng Reign Qing
Famille Rose Dish with Peony Design
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1723-1735 Yongzheng Reign Qing
Square Zun (Vase) in imitation of ancient Bronze with underglaze blue design
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1723-1735 Yongzheng Reign Qing
Vase with underglaze blue and red design of dragons and sea waves
Jingdezhen Ware

AD 1723-1735 Yongzheng Reign Qing
Celadon Jar with Cloud and Dragon Design
Jingdezhen Ware

This celadon bowl is huge standing over half a meter tall.

Jiangdouhang

Jiangdouhang (literally means cowpea red) porcelain named after the colour obtained by high-temperature firing of a copper oxide, is a prized monochrome ware introduced by the official kilns in the Kangxi reign. It is one of the finest Qing wares. Depending on the exact shade of red obtained during the firing, the products were given a variety of names, including pure red, bright red robe, beauty’s blush, baby’s face and peach blossom. The ware is known as peach bloom porcelain in the West.

The Qianlong reign (1736-1795)

The Qianlong reign (1736-1795) at Jingdezhen brought together all the finest porcelains of the past. The Qianlong emperor was particularly interested in ceramics and his enthusiasm led to the production of copies of the famous old pieces as well as innovative designs.

1736 – 1795 Qing
Green Glazed Twin-bodied vase with Modeled Floral Design JingDezhen Ware

1736-1795 Qing
Vase with Enamelled Design of Bamboo, Chrysanthemum and Quails

1736-1795 Qing Dynasty
Tibetan Vase with Fencai Design of 8 auspicious symbols on Green Ground. Jingdezhen Ware.

1736-1795
Underglaze blue flask with two handles and a reserve design of eight auspicious symbols Jingdezhen Ware

From a technical point of view Jingdezhen reached its highest level of achievement in the Qianlong reign. It produced porcelains imitating objects in other materials such as gold, silver, stone, lacquer, mother-of-pearl, bamboo, gourd, wood, jade and bronze. Other technical tours de force include openwork and nested objects with freely revolving inner parts.

After the Jiaqing (1796-1820) and Daoguang (1821-1850) reigns, porcelain production at Jingdezhen went into a decline that affected folk kilns as well as the official kilns. Nevertheless some fine porcelain was made before the end of the Qing dynasty in 1911. Some of the Jiaqing and Daoguang fencai wares rival Yongzheng and Qianlong fencai. Pieces with the mark “Shen De Tang” have been regarded particularly highly.

1909-1911 Xuantong Reign Qing
Bean-green Glazed Square Vase with Eight Diagrams Pattern
Jingdezhen Ware

1876-1908 Guangxu Reign Qing
Blue Glazed Vase with Golden Medallion Design
Jingdezhen Ware

Ming and Qing Ceramics from Places Other Than Jingdezhen

Ceramics were produced all over China during the Ming and Qing periods (AD 1368-1911).

1368-1644 Ming
Jun-type vase with tubular ears
Shiwan Ware

Famous kilns produced:

flambé Shiwan ware from Guangdong province

1736-1795 Qianlong Reign Qing
Lujun Glazed Zisha Teapot
Yixing Ware

1736-1795 Qianlong Reigh Qing
Zisha Teapot with Inscription of Qianlong Imperial Poem
Yixing Ware

Yixing Zisha pottery from Jiangsu province

1368-1644 Ming
White Glazed Statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva “He Chao Zhong” Mark
Dehua Ware

1644-1911 Qing
White glazed pomegranate-shaped teapot with applied design
Dehua Ware

and the Dehua Kilns located in the remote mountain areas of Fujian province produced large quantities of qingbai porcelains for export during the Song and Yuan periods. In the Ming and Qing periods it was famous for the pure white porcelain known in the West as Blanc de Chine. Lifelike figurines with fluid drapery are the best known blanc de chine type; of those the most celebrated potter was He Chaozong.

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