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Earlier Wares (Before Ming)

By Oto B

Before the rise of Ming porcelain, China had already developed a rich ceramic tradition spanning the Han, Sui, Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties. Each period contributed innovations in kiln technology, glaze chemistry, and decorative style that laid the foundation for the porcelain that would later dominate world trade.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581–907 AD), China produced both low-fired and high-fired ceramics. The most famous were the lead-glazed sancai (“three-colour”) wares, typically in green, amber, and cream, which represented the last significant fine earthenwares in Chinese history. Tang ceramics reflected cosmopolitan influences, echoing the Silk Road exchange of ideas and materials.

The Song dynasty (960–1279 AD) is remembered for its refinement and elegance. Later scholars canonized the celebrated “Five Great Kilns” (Ru, Guan, Ge, Ding, and Jun). Song ceramics emphasized subtle glaze effects—celadon, white, and bluish glazes—paired with graceful, restrained forms. Decoration was often minimal, relying on shallow relief rather than bold painting.

Under the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368 AD), controlled by the Mongol Empire, artists and craftsmen were moved across Eurasia. This contact introduced strong Islamic influences into Chinese ceramics, most importantly the innovation of underglaze blue painting in imported cobalt. This marked the birth of blue and white porcelain, which would become the defining feature of Ming and later Qing porcelain.

Column 2: Porcelain and Decorative Arts

Earlier wares reflect experimentation with both form and material, ranging from sancai earthenware figures to the luminous celadons and white porcelains of the Song. Yuan innovations brought technical mastery that directly shaped the Ming dynasty’s rise.

Key features include:

  • Tang sancai (three-colour) wares, often used for tomb figures of horses, camels, and court attendants.
  • Song dynasty celadons, Ding ware, and Jun ware, prized for their glazes and subtle elegance.
  • Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain, introducing cobalt underglaze painting with bold floral and scroll motifs.

Shapes ranged from funerary figures and vessels in Tang times, to bowls, vases, and dishes in Song and Yuan periods. These works not only defined the aesthetic taste of their time but also established the technical foundations th