Brilliant for more than 600 years: the rise and fall of blue-and-white porcelain

Blue-and-white porcelain, also known as white blue-and-white porcelain, is often referred to as blue-and-white, China’s ceramic technology treasures.Is one of the mainstream varieties of Chinese porcelain, under the glaze color porcelain.Blue-and-white porcelain is painted on the ceramic body, then covered with a transparent glaze, high-temperature reduction flame once fired.

The original blue-and-white porcelain appeared in the Tang and Song dynasties, and the mature blue-and-white porcelain appeared in the Hutian kiln in Jingdezhen in Yuan Dynasty.Qing Hua became the mainstream of porcelain in Ming Dynasty.The period of Qing Kangxi reached its peak.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the varieties of blue and white, malachite green glaze blue, bean green glaze blue, red green, yellow ground blue and goose glaze blue and white were also created.

Qingjiaching, Qinghua, flying bowl, Wuhan Museum.

Qing Dynasty Qianlong blue and white porcelain lion, embroidered ball pattern snuff pot. Taipei Palace Museum.

Qing · Yongzheng blue and white flowers, tube-ear vase, Taipei Palace Museum.

The blue-and-white porcelain in Tang Dynasty was at the beginning of blue-and-white porcelain.The specimens can be seen in the 70 ‘s and 80’ s of 20 pieces of blue-and-white porcelain unearthed in Yangzhou.By studying the tire, glaze and color of the porcelain sheet unearthed in Yangzhou, and analyzing the material and technical conditions of Gong Xian Kiln in Tang Dynasty, it is concluded that the origin of Tang Qinghua is Gong Xian Kiln in Henan Province.

Tang Qinghua after the initial period, and did not develop rapidly, but to decline.

Qinghua twining flower tray in Qianlong, Qing Dynasty. Taipei Palace Museum.

Qing Qianlong. Blue and white paper jar. Taipei Palace Museum.

Qing Kang Xi Green Flower Fish and Dragon Change High Foot Pad. Taipei Palace Museum

Qing Kang Xi, Qing Hua, Li Yue Long Men, folding border plate. Taipei Palace Museum, Tibet

Qing Kang Xi Qing Hua Guan · Taipei Palace Museum

The mature blue-and-white porcelain appeared in Jingdezhen in Yuan Dynasty.As a result of adopting the binary formula of “porcelain stone + kaolin”, the sintering temperature is raised and the deformation rate is reduced during roasting.Most of the body of the body is therefore thick, the shape is thick and full.The fetal color is slightly gray, yellow, the fetal quality is loose.The bottom glaze is divided into two kinds of white and egg white, opacification is strong.

The most characteristic of the motif of Yuanqing flower is that the composition is plump and multi-level.Stroke of a stroke is the main method of writing, smooth and powerful;The sketching and rendering is robust and serene.The subject of the decoration has characters, animals, plants, poetry and so on.The characters are Gaoshi (four love pictures), historical figures, and so on;Animals have dragon and phoenix, Kirin, mandarin duck, fish and so on;Common plants are peony, lotus, orchid, pine bamboo plum, ganoderma lucidum, flowers and leaves, melon and fruit;Poetry is rare.

Qing Kang Xi blue-and-white porcelain dragon pattern cover pot. Taipei Palace Museum.

Qing Kang Xi, Qing Hua, tangled branches, lotus bowl, Taipei Palace Museum, Tibet

Qing Dynasty Yongzheng Green Flower Tins Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Jia Jing Qinghua Yunlong animal earrings bottle. Taipei Palace Museum.

Ming Jia Jing Kiln, Green Flower, big belly bowl, Taipei Palace Museum.

The Ming and Qing dynasties were the period when blue-and-white porcelain reached its peak and went into decline.Ming Yongle and Xuande period is a peak in the development of blue-and-white porcelain, well-known for its exquisite production;Qing Kangxi with “colorful blue-and-white” blue-and-white porcelain to the peak;After Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty, because of the development of Pink-colored porcelain, it gradually declined, although it was in late Qing Dynasty (Guangxu) at one time, finally it could not continue the prosperity of Kangxi Dynasty.

Generally speaking, this period of official kiln equipment production rigorous, exquisite;The kiln apparatus is random, free and easy, the picture is freehand.Starting from the late Ming Dynasty, the blue-and-white painting gradually absorbed some elements of Chinese painting techniques.

Ming Wanli, green flowers entangled lotus pattern gourd bottle, Wuhan Museum.

Ming Wanli Kiln, Green Flower, Long Feng, all directions washed. Taipei Palace Museum, Tibet

Ming Zheng De Kiln Green Flower Double Dragon Red Cloud Bowl Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Zheng De · Qing Hua Arabic Fanlian Zun · Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Hongzhi, green flower, garlic group pattern bottle, Wuhan Museum.

Ming Hong Zhi Qing Hua Fanwen Pan · Taipei Palace Museum Tibet

Ming Xuande · Green Flower Four Seasons Flower Patch Canister · Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Xuande · Qinghua mandarin duck play lotus pot · Wuhan Museum Collection

Mingxuande · Xuande · Xuanhua entwined lotus pattern rhomboid mouth plate · Wuhan Museum.

Ming Yongle. Green flowers twined flowers garden. Taipei Palace Museum.

Ming Yongle Blue and white flowers in lotus and phoenix grain bowl. Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Yongle, Qing Hua, Year of the cold three friends pattern bowl. Taipei Palace Museum.

Ming Yongle Green Flower Yunlong Flat Pot. Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Yongle · Qing Hua figure flat pot · Taipei Palace Museum

Ming Hong Wu Qing Hua Chuanlian Qigong dragon pattern high foot cup. Taipei Palace Museum.

Yuan · Jingdezhen kiln green flower tangled branches peony grain pot. Shanghai Museum.

Yuan · Qing Hua Si Ai Tu Mei Ping · Wuhan Museum.

Ming Yongle blue-cut white-dragon plum vase

Qing Yongzheng white ground blue and white flower vase with celestial sphere

Qingqianlong holly glaze blue flower bottle

Mingyongle blue-and-white vase with dragon pattern

Ming Jiajing Babao drum-type tripod furnace with blue and white flowers