History Introduction of Dehua Ceramics
Dehua Ceramics (Dehua Kiln) is the peak representative of Chinese white porcelain, also known as Blanc de Chine worldwide. As one of China’s three major porcelain capitals, it boasts a porcelain-making history of over 3,700 years, famous for its jade-like mild texture and top-grade porcelain sculptures.
1. Origin: Neolithic Age to Xia & Shang Dynasties (Embryonic Stage)
Around 2000 BC in the Neolithic Age, ancient people in Dehua fired hard pottery and impressed pottery, marking the origin of local porcelain making.
Over 3,700 years ago during the Xia and Shang Dynasties, primitive celadon kiln sites were discovered in Liaotianjian Mountain, Sanban Town, making Dehua an important birthplace of Chinese primitive celadon.
2. Foundation: Tang & Five Dynasties
In the Tang Dynasty, Yan Huacai from Sanban Town authored Tao Ye Fa, the world’s first monograph on ceramics, and drew Meiling Map, the earliest blueprint of porcelain workshops, laying the foundation for standardized porcelain craftsmanship.
From the late Tang to the Five Dynasties, celadon was widely produced with pale cyan glaze and simple primitive shapes, showing mature firing techniques.
3. Rise: Song & Yuan Dynasties (Overseas Export Prosperity)
In the Song Dynasty, Dehua bluish-white porcelain featured elegant plain styles; porcelain sculptures such as Guanyin and Bodhidharma emerged in large numbers. Porcelain products were exported along the Maritime Silk Road.
In the Yuan Dynasty, the quality of white porcelain was greatly improved with lustrous glaze. A variety of wares like bowls, plates, incense burners, pots and kundika were sold overseas in large quantities.
4. Golden Age: Ming Dynasty (Blanc de Chine Glory)
In the Ming Dynasty, Dehua white porcelain reached its historical peak, praised as Ivory White, Velvet White and Lard White, and internationally renowned as Blanc de Chine. There is a well-known saying: World white porcelain looks to China; Chinese white porcelain looks to Dehua.
He Chaozong, the Sage of Porcelain Sculpture, used premium kaolin to create delicate sculptures with jade-like warmth, flowing clothing lines and vivid expressions. His masterpieces Cross-sea Guanyin and Bodhidharma are treasured oriental artworks.
5. Transformation: Qing Dynasty (Colored Porcelain Prevailed)
In the Qing Dynasty, blue and white porcelain and five-color porcelain became mainstream instead of pure white porcelain, exported massively to Europe and Southeast Asia. White porcelain was mainly made into decorative ornaments, study stationery and religious statues.
In the late Qing Dynasty, the porcelain industry declined due to national turmoil, and some traditional craftsmanship was lost.
6. Inheritance & Revival: Republic of China to Modern Times
In 1915 during the Republic of China, Su Xuejin’s porcelain plum blossom work won the Gold Medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, reviving the reputation of Dehua ceramics.
After the founding of New China, traditional white porcelain and porcelain sculpture techniques were restored, creating three classic treasures: Jianbai porcelain, high-white porcelain and porcelain carving.
Today, Dehua is honored as the World Capital of Ceramics and China’s largest export base for craft ceramics. Dehua Porcelain Firing Craftsmanship was listed in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2006. Dehua Kiln was included in the World Cultural Heritage Tentative List in 2021.
Core Cultural Value
Raw Material: Premium kaolin from Daiyun Mountain with low iron content, featuring high whiteness and jade-like tenderness.
Craftsmanship: Eight exquisite techniques including kneading, sculpting, carving, engraving, scraping, joining and pasting make Dehua porcelain sculpture unrivaled in the world.
Culture: The kiln fire has burned uninterrupted for thousands of years. As an important cultural symbol of the Maritime Silk Road, it witnesses the cultural exchange and integration between China and the world.
