China had been able to produce quite exquisite porcelain more than 1000 years before Europe mastered porcelain-making technology. Judging from the development history of China ceramics, the word "ceramics" is generally divided into two categories: pottery and porcelain. Usually, the matrix is not tightly sintered.
Clay and porcelain products, whether colored or white, are collectively called pottery. Among them, the part with higher firing temperature and better sintering degree is called "hard pottery" and the glazed part is called "glazed pottery". Relatively speaking, clay or porcelain products with high temperature sintering, dense matrix sintering and excellent glaze quality are called "porcelain". The development of traditional ceramics in China has experienced a long historical period, with a wide variety and unique technology. Therefore, the classification of traditional ceramics in China needs to consider not only hard technical indicators, but also the classification methods of traditional habits and the changes of scientific and technological knowledge in ancient and modern times, so as to draw more effective classification conclusions.
Photo 1: painted pottery
From the legendary Yellow Emperor Yao Shun to the Xia Dynasty (about 2 1 century-BC16th century), painted pottery marked its development. Among them, there are typical Yangshao culture, Majiayao culture and Qijia culture later discovered in Gansu. After liberation, a large number of beautifully made painted pottery were unearthed from the prehistoric site in Anbanpo, Xi 'an, which was amazing. According to legend, Yao spread the world to Shun, Shun spread the world to Yu spread the world to his son and started the so-called "home world". Xia Chuanzhi was ruthless and tyrannical. Shang Tang released him and became emperor on his own, so he began to conquer the Tang Dynasty. Shang ruled the world for more than 600 years (about16th century BC-about1century BC) until Zhou Wang. After being conquered, he committed suicide and the world returned to Zhou. The ruling period of the Zhou Dynasty was roughly from1/century BC to 22 1 year BC, and the effective rule actually ended in 77 1 year BC. 475 BC-22 BC1year is called the Warring States Period. By 22 1 year BC, the Qin Dynasty had risen and unified China, but it lasted only 206 BC and was replaced by the Han Dynasty. During these thousands and hundreds of years, in addition to daily dining utensils, things used for sacrificial ceremonies have also developed greatly. In the Han Dynasty from 206 BC to 220 AD, the creative materials of artists and craftsmen were no longer mainly jade and metal, and pottery was paid more attention. During this period, with the development of firing technology, relatively strong glazed pottery generally appeared, and the word "porcelain" began to appear in Chinese characters. At the same time, through the trade routes from Xinjiang and Persia to Syria, China began to communicate with the Roman Empire, which promoted the cultural exchanges between the East and the West. From this period, we can also see the clues of external influence in ceramic products. Buddhism was also introduced into China at this time.
The rapid rise of Buddhist art in the Six Dynasties (AD 220-581year) also had a corresponding impact on ceramics, leaving obvious traces on the modeling of this season's works. The Sui Dynasty seized power in 58 1 year, ending the long-term division between North and South, but it was not until 6 18 that it was replaced by the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty (6 18-970) is regarded as a great period in China's art history. The technology of ceramics has been greatly improved, and many exquisite porcelain varieties have appeared in large numbers. Even using today's technical appraisal standards, it can be regarded as real high-quality porcelain. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the hero was taken by surprise, followed by a dynasty struggle, that is, the Five Dynasties, which lasted until 960 AD. During the war years, a new ceramic variety, Chai Kiln Porcelain, appeared, which was widely praised for its excellent texture, but it was extremely rare that it could be passed down from generation to generation.
Figure 2: Chai Kiln Porcelain
In Song Dynasty (960── 1279), the ceramic industry flourished and began to export to Europe and Southeast Asian countries. Famous kilns with different characteristics, such as Jun kiln, Ru kiln, Guan kiln, Ge kiln and Ding kiln, have sprung up all over the country, and their products are becoming more and more colorful. Due to the invasion of the (Liao) Khitan and (Jin) Nuzhen nationalities in the northeast, the rulers of the Song Dynasty were forced to move south and were later destroyed by the Mongols. In A.D. 1280, the Yuan Dynasty was established and Shufu Kiln appeared. Jingdezhen began to become the center of China ceramic industry, and its reputation spread all over the world. The white porcelain produced in Jingdezhen is in sharp contrast with the underglaze blue ornamentation. Since then, blue and white porcelain culture has been deeply loved by people in various historical periods. The Ming Dynasty ruled from 1368 to 1644. During this period, Jingdezhen's ceramic manufacturing industry was absolutely the best in the world, occupying a prominent position in technology and art, especially blue and white porcelain. In addition, Dehua kiln in Fujian, Longquan kiln in Zhejiang and Cizhou kiln in Hebei are also famous for their different styles of high-quality ceramics. With the suicide of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng led the peasant uprising army into Beijing on 1644. From Wu Sangui's summoning of the Manchu army to the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 19 1 1, Manchu rule lasted for more than 200 years. Among them, Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong are considered to be the most brilliant periods of ceramic industry under the rule of Qing Dynasty. Many products with complex technology have all kinds of colored glasses with extremely rich glaze colors. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the government was corrupt, the national fortune declined, and the people were in poverty, and the ceramic manufacturing industry in China went from bad to worse. After the founding of the Republic of China, some ceramic research institutions were established in various places, but their products were simply copied from some foreign designs except the previous generation, and there was no development at all. At the beginning of the Republic of China, warlord Yuan Shikai attempted to restore the monarchy. He once made a batch of porcelain with the year number "Hong Xian". These porcelains are not technically processed, mainly pastels and ancient styles. Due to frequent civil wars, foreign invasions and poor people's livelihood, the entire ceramic industry has declined in an all-round way. Until the founding of New China, there were no products that attracted worldwide attention.