Porcelain first emerged in Northern China in the 500s, as potters developed a paste based on kaolin (a white China clay) to create elegant vessels with a plain surface.  In the 900s, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Jingdezhen potters developed another “one-component” recipe based on petuntse only (a feldspathic rock also known as porcelain stone). The delicate bowl with a bluish glaze, known as Qingbai 青白, illustrates Jingdezhen’s mainstream production. Qingbai wares contributed to the city’s emergence as a porcelain centre.

Further advances took place in Jingdezhen when kaolin was mixed with petuntse to form the “two-component” recipe. This resulted in a superior paste characterized by strength and plasticity. Jingdezhen artisans harnessed this innovation, constructing diverse kilns to elevate firing temperatures to improve the porcellanization process. The precise origin of the “two-component” recipe has long been debated, but recent archaeological discoveries and scientific analyses place its emergence during the late Ming (1368-1644) to the early Qing period (1644-1911).

In addition to its material composition, “true porcelain” is distinguished by its high firing temperature, typically above 1,200℃-1,300℃.  Advanced kiln technology was therefore essential, as high firing not only fortified the porcelain’s structure but also allowed for the application of vibrant polychrome glazes. Termed “white gold” by Europeans, the fascinating material established China’s association with ceramics in the Western mindset.