Chinese porcelain culture

ChineseporcelaincultureLead-inPorcelain,alsocalled'finechina',featuringitsdelicatetexture,pleasingcolor,andrefinedsculpture,hasbeenoneoftheearliestartworksintroducedtothewesternworldthroughtheSilkRoad.Chineseceramics(陶瓷)consistsoftwotypes,potteryandporcelain/china.QuestionstoconsiderWhatisporcelainmadeof?Whatisthedifferencebetweenpotteryandporcelain?Coarsevs.fine/delicateGlassyandslipperyqualityWhyaretheysodifferent?DefiningPotteryandPorcelainbyFiringTemperatureTemp.DegreesCelsiusProduct700-950Pottery900-1250Celadon(青瓷,灰绿色)1200-1450China-ware1450+PorcelainQuestiontoconsiderHowtomakeaporcelain?Howmanyprocedurestogothrough?1.Forming2.Glazing3.Decoration4.FiringMethod:FormingThepotterfirstneedstoshapepotteryonapotter'swheel.Butitisnotaneasyjobbecausethematerialusedtomakingporcelainisinlowplasticity.Soitisdifficulttoshapetheclay.Inthecaseofthrowingonapotter’swheel(陶轮)itcanbeseenaspullingclayupwardsandoutwardsintoarequiredshape.Theprocessofthrowingisinfactoneofremarkablecomplexity.GlazingUnliketheirlower-firedcounterparts,porcelainwaresdonotneedglazingtorenderthemimpermeabletoliquidsandforthemostpartareglazedfordecorativepurposesandtomakethemresistanttodirtandstaining.DecorationPorcelainwaresmaybedecoratedundertheglazeusingpigmentsthatincludecobalt(钴做的深蓝色)andcopperorovertheglazeusingcoloredenamels(珐琅,瓷釉).Likemanyearlierwares,modernporcelainsareoftenfiredataround1000degreesCelsius,coatedwithglazeandthensentforasecondglazeandfiringatatemperatureofabout1300degreesCelsiusorgreater.FiringInthisprocess,green(unfired)ceramicwaresareheatedtohightemperaturesinakilntopermanentlysettheirshapes.Porcelainisfiredatahighertemperaturethanearthenwaresothatthebodycanvitrify(使成玻璃状)andbecomenon-porous(不渗水的)becauseofthechemicalchangethattakeplaceduringthefiring.Thechemicalchanges,thattakeplacewiththefiringprocess,resultsinaproducttransformationfrompotterytoporcelain.Potteryisusuallyfiredattemperaturesbetween700-950degreesCelsius.Whenthefiringtemperatureisincreasetoabove1,100degreesCelciusthesilicates(硅酸盐)withintheclaybegintomeltandfusewiththeclayparticleswhicharedifficulttomelt;thatistheyretaintheirformwhenheatedunlikethesilicates.Thefusingofthesilicatesandclaymaterial,withfeldspar(长石)actingasaflux(熔接剂),createstheglassyqualityofporcelain.Theoptimumtemperatureforhighqualityporcelainis1280degreesCelsius.Afurtherdifferentiationbetweenpotteryandporcelainisthetranslucent(透明的,半透明的)natureoftheproductwhenitisfired.EuropeanconsiderationistoplaceanemphasisuponthisaspectwhiletheChinesedonotconsideritasanessentialelementofthequalityofporcelain.TheChineseconsiderthatporcelainofhighqualitywillproduceahighpitchringwhenstruck.HistoryofdevelopmentTheearliestpotterywarewasfoundmadeofKaolinintheShangDynasty(16th-11thcenturyBC),andpossessedthecommonaspectsofthesmoothnessandimpervious(不透水的)qualityofhardenamel,thoughpotterywaresweremorewidelyusedamongmostoftheordinarypeople.Anywayitwasthebeginningofporcelain,whichafterwardsinthesucceedingdynastiesandduetoitsdurabilityandluster,rapidlybecameanecessityofdailylife,especiallyinthemiddleandupperclasses.PaintedjaroftheMajiayaoculture,(3300-2200BC)ApotterybellfromtheWarringStatesPeriod(403–221BC)Handynasty,202BC-220ADSomeexpertsbelievethefirsttrueporcelainwasmadeintheprovinceofZhejiangduringtheEasternHanperiod.Chineseexpertsemphasizethepresenceofasignificantproportionofporcelain-buildingminerals(chinaclay,porcelainstoneoracombinationofboth)asanimportantfactorindefiningporcelain.Shards(瓷的碎片)recoveredfromarchaeologicalEasternHankilnsitesestimatedfiringtemperaturerangedfrom1260to1300°C.Asfarbackas1000BC,theso-called“Porcelaneouswares”or“proto-porcelainwares”weremadeusingatleastsomekaolin(高岭土,瓷土)firedathightemperatures.Thedividinglinebetweenthetwoandtrueporcelainwaresisnotaclearone.Paintedpotterypotwithdragonandphoenixrelief,WesternHanDynasty,206-8B.C.SuiandTangdynasties,581-907DuringtheSuiandTangperiods(581to907)awiderangeofceramics,low-firedandhigh-fired,wereproduced.Theseincludedthewell-knownTanglead-glazedsancai(three-colour)wares,thehigh-firing,lime(石灰)-glazedYueceladon(青瓷)waresandlow-firedwaresfromChangsha.InnorthernChina,high-fired,translucentporcelainsweremadeatkilnsintheprovincesofHenanandHebei.OneofthefirstmentionsofporcelainbyaforeignerwasmadebyanArabiantravelerduringtheTangDynastywhorecordedthat:TheyhaveinChinaaveryfineclaywithwhichtheymakevaseswhichareastransparentasglass;waterisseenthroughthem.ThevasesaremadeofclaytheSongDynasty(960-1279)Avarietyofgenresofporcelainappearedanditbecameafashionthatpeopleshowedgreatinterestinpurchasingandcollectingcertainwaressuitabletotheirtastes.Ru,Ding,Ge,JunandGuan(theofficial)kilnshadbeentherepresentativesofthatage.DingDingkilnboasteditswhiteporcelainwhichhasatextureasdelicateasthatofivorywithanadornment(装饰)ofblackandpurpleglaze.Distinctivefromtheotherfourkilnswhichstressedcolor,thisonewasquitegoodatengravingandprintingflowerpatternsWhiteGlazedDingWareBowlwithIncisedDesignNorthernSongDynasty(11th-12thCentury)HenanProvincehad