It has been established that the Chinese created some of the world's first ceramics eight thousand years ago with the fashioning of hand-molded earthenware containers. In the late neolithic times, the potter's wheel was developed enabling a dramatic advancement in ceramic technology. The sophistication of early Chinese potters is irrefutably demonstrated by the famed terracotta warriors uncovered by archaeologists in the tomb of Emperor Qin (259-210 BCE).
Over the centuries, China maintained its dominant position as the producer of ceramics as countless new technologies and styles were developed. One of the most important was the three-coloured earthenware of the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), named after the bright yellow, green and white glazes. This period also marked the first wide-spread use of ceramic as a decorative medium of art.
Another type of pottery that developed during the Tang period was qingci, known more commonly to English speakers as celadon. This style often has a greenish glaze and usually simply but elegantly shaped. Celadons were so successful that production continued in China for centuries afterward and was traded widely throughout much of Southeast Asia.
During the Song dynasty (960-1279 CE), whiteware became a dominant form. The style became one of the most successful ceramic types ever produced in China and was widely traded throughout Southeast Asia. One form of whiteware that became particularly popular as a traded ceramic was Qingbai which literally means "bluish-white ware" and has a jade-like texture.
Blue-and-white porcelain was first created during the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368 CE). Fired at higher temperature than earthenware, porcelain is characterized by a glass-like finish of its whitish clay body. Potters of the later Ming dynasty (1368-1644 CE) advanced the art of blue-and-white porcelain to such a degree that most people today think of the style as uniquely Chinese.
The Qing period (1644-1911 CE) was the last of the imperial dynasties and saw innovative five-coloured designs that reached a new peak in popularity, particularly in the west.
Chinese Dynasty Timeline:
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