When agriculture began to catch on in china starting around 7,500 BCE, Chinese potters began to refine their craft, begining the tradition of painter ceramics. Among the most prolific producers of ceramics at this time was the Yangshao Culture (5,000 to 3,000 BCE), who's ceramics were adorned with a variety of geometic and naturalistic patterns. Much of what we know about these civilizations comes from their ceramics.
By the Xia Dynasty (2070 BCE to 1600 BCE) the Chinese had figured out how to make Black Earthenware, unlike painted ceramics, black Earthenware is black through and through.
They also began working out glazes at this time, first with basic tin and lead glazes. But latter, they began to use ash glazes, made of wood ash and sodium.
The development of glazes was a big deal for what it would enable. During the Shang Dynasty (1600 BCE to 1046 BCE), Chinese Ceramacists made a great development: Porcelain. Porcelain requires three factors...
- Kaolin clay
- Kilns which can be fired at 1200 degrees
- An external glaze, preferably an Ash Glaze
The Qin Dynasty (221 BCE to 206 BCE) was short lived and due to it's Legalist philosophy did not place much value on artwork. That said, it did have an important contribution to the history of Chinese Ceramics in the Terracotta Army. Eight thousand Terracotta soldiers were made, along with ceramic horses and similar. Each Terracotta soldier is distinct from each other. It is believed by historians that the Terracotta Soldiers were made by mold casting, but the molds were modular so that different eyes, noses and mouths and such that could be mixed about and be used to easily make a wide variety of soldiers.
During the Han Dynasty (221 BCE to 207 CE) there was a fair number of finely made ceramic models of buildings, mostly made as grave goods.
During the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907) was developed the Sancai (three color) method of coloration. It used a lead based glaze and for coloration it used ground copper for greens, iron for reds and cobalt for blues.
Also during this time is the rise of maritime trade in the Indian Ocean supplementing the long-standing overland routes of the Silk Road. Ships, both of Chinese and non Chinese origin come back and forth from china to India, the Middle East and East Africa. Among the affects of development of this maritime trade is that now it is more particular to export Ceramics as well as silk from china to elsewhere. Chinese Ceramics have also been having their influence in countries adjacent to China such as Korea, Japan and Vietnam for some time.
During the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279), a variety of styles emerged with the rise of sophisticated urban culture. Many of these were minimalistic in design, usually being white, green or blue. While there was some designs in relief, these were not painted. The overall intent for many of these styles was to recreate the effect of carved jade. In terms of manufacturing, this also saw the emergence of factory manufacturing, although unmechanized. In these factories, artisans and laborers worked at specific jobs, assembling ceramics by hand and sending them down the line along roughly standardized lined. One artisan colors the clay, sends it to another who makes it into shape, who sends it off to be fired, then is taken out has have the glaze material applied by another artisan, then fired again.
As a matter of personal preference the Song Dynasty produces the Author's favorite styles of Chinese Ceramics.
During the Yuan (1271 to 1368) Dynasty, we see the rise of Cobalt Blue ceramics. In this method, before firing patterns are painted onto the Ceramics with the patterns staying in place underneath the glaze. This style would remain popular throughout the remainder of the Imperial Period.
In addition to Blue Cobalt Ceramics, there was also an rise of very ornately done ceramic plates using a wide variety of colors. This style became praticularly popular by the Manchu Dyansty.
Starting in the 16th century, European Traders began to sail to China, navigating around Africa and South America to get to the trade of the East. Among the things they wanted to buy was Silk, Tea and Ceramics. Despite the xenophobic and isolationist policies of the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) and especially the Manchu Dynasty (1644 to 1912), the trade in Ceramics was so profitable that Chinese Ceramicists began to make wares specifically for export to the European Market, using images of western buildings (usually based off the trading facilities in official trade ports), christian images and images of European trade ships.
Meanwhile Europeans, who were enamored with oriental ceramics sought their replication. Their first attempts at aping Chinese ceramics were fairly crude, but eventually industrialists managed develop their own porcelains by the 18th century. Even so they often would have some Asian influence in their designs and would be refereed to as "fine china".
Nowadays, there has been a revival in interest in historical designs as well as some experimentation.
Zor
