One Intangible Cultural Heritage a Day - Blue and White Porcelain

"White glazed blue and white porcelain is formed in one firing, and the flowers are clearly visible through the glaze."

Blue and white porcelain, also known as white-ground blue and white porcelain, often simply referred to as blue and white, is one of the mainstream varieties of Chinese porcelain and belongs to underglaze painted porcelain. Blue and white porcelain is made by using cobalt ore containing cobalt oxide as the raw material. Decorative patterns are depicted on the ceramic body, then covered with a layer of transparent glaze, and fired once at a high temperature reducing flame. After firing, the cobalt material turns blue and has the characteristics of strong coloring power, bright color, high firing rate, and stable color.

The past and present of blue and white porcelain:
The original blue and white porcelain emerged in the Tang and Song dynasties. The mature blue and white porcelain appeared in Hutian Kiln in Jingdezhen during the Yuan Dynasty. Blue and white porcelain became the mainstream of porcelain in the Ming Dynasty and reached its peak during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty.

The meaning of blue and white porcelain:
Blue and white porcelain originated from the hope that scholars in ancient times placed on the future that "the students surpass the teacher". After entering officialdom, they had the aspiration of "rising rapidly in the official career". They longed to become "upright officials" who did practical things for the people and had sincere loyalty to the country with the aspiration of "leaving a loyal heart shining in the annals of history". It can be seen that "blue" holds a significant position in the hearts of Chinese people.

"The more something has national characteristics, the more it has worldwide significance." For thousands of years, Chinese blue and white art has annotated the unique understanding and pursuit of aesthetic culture of the Chinese nation with its own unique artistic language.