Porcelain

Porcelain is a type of hard pottery. It is white, but mildly transluscent and can be decorated to provide colour.

Table of contents 1 Chinese Porcelain 1.1 History 1.2 Techniques 1.3 Styles 1.4 External Links (Chinese Porcelain) 2 European Porcelain 2.1 See also:

Chinese Porcelain Chinese porcelain is made from a hard paste comprised of the clay kaolin and a feldspar called petuntse, which cements the vessel and seals any pores. China[?] is high-quality porcelain. Most china comes from the city of Jingdezhen[?] (景德镇) in China's Jiangxi (江西) province.

History

Jingdezhen, under a variety of names, has been central to porcelain production in China since at least the early Han (汉) Dynasty. Earliest techniques were very primitive, barely above the level of mere pottery. By the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasty (南北朝) period, however, techniques had been refined to the point that the clay in Jingdezhen made for what could be called porcelain.

The Sui (隋) and Tang (唐) Dynasties introduced high-temperature kilns, bringing with it the pure, translucent whites, attractive to the eye, as well as a variety of advanced glazing techniques resulting in smooth, durable porcelain. The resulting product was often referred to as "false jade".

Techniques

Styles

External Links (Chinese Porcelain)

• Jingdezhen attractions (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/jiangxi/jingdezhen/index.htm)
• Jingdezhen: Ceramics Metropolis of China (http://www.chinavista.com/experience/jingdezhen/jingdezhen)
• Jingdezhen Special Folk Arts Porcelain Research Institute (http://www.china-article.com/indexe.htm)

European Porcelain The Europeans used a soft paste, which makes for weaker porcelain than the Chinese method. To compensate, around 1750 the English began to use bone ash[?] to strengthen their porcelain.

See also:

• Josiah Wedgwood