Introduction

Temporary Exhibition / S101

Chinese underglaze blue porcelain enjoys widespread popularity across the world. Firing brings out a refined translucent quality in the porcelain body, and cobalt blue pigments create sophisticated decorative patterns. The interplay of clear cold white and radiating blue makes this porcelain a byword for luxury and a superb demonstration of the art of living.

During the Yuan dynasty in the 14th century, the kilns of Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province had already started to produce the high-fired underglaze blue porcelain which found its way across China and even further afield. This porcelain with underglaze blue thus became a new sought-after commodity. By the time of the Ming Dynasty, production techniques had become even more sophisticated, with both greater diversity of form and decorative motifs and a massive production volume. As Ming China had frequent interactions with neighboring Asian countries, Chinese underglaze blue porcelains also came to integrate novel, exotic elements. And while the imperial kilns turned out refined, stately pieces, the wares produced by local kilns were by no means inferior—potters at these kilns often gave free rein to their imagination, and the lively decorations of their wares exhibit an unrestrained vitality.

Against the background of the Age of Discovery and the booming maritime trade, the craze for blue-andwhite porcelain took Asian and European countries by storm, turning porcelain into a global commodity. To satisfy market demand, starting from the second half of the fourteenth century, Asian countries such as Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and Iran also began to produce blue-and-white porcelain, either as a way to compete with China for a market share or simply to meet domestic demand. Thus, blue-and-white porcelain can be seen as a cultural thread that joins these countries together.

National Palace Museum holds an impressive number of Ming imperial porcelains from the Qing Court collection, the great majority of which consists of underglaze blue porcelain. In recent years, after a number of acquisitions and a public call for donations, the museum has succeeded in adding to its collection many local underglaze blue porcelain wares from private collectors that complete the story of the development of Ming underglaze blue porcelain.

The present exhibition is divided into four sections, the first three presenting works in chronological order from the early, middle, and late periods of the 300-year Ming dynasty: namely, the Hongwu to the Xuande reigns, the Zhengtong to the Zhengde reigns, and the Jiajing reign to the end of the Ming dynasty. In these three sections, the viewer can see fine pieces manufactured at imperial kilns alongside contemporary works from other regions in Asia. The fourth section highlights the diverse regional development of blue-andwhite porcelain and the role that it played in Ming China’s cultural interaction with other Asian countries by showcasing specimens from across Asia.

Part1 － Early Ming Underglaze Blue Porcelain

from the Hongwu to the Xuande Periods: 1368–1435

Taizu, first Emperor of Ming, ordered court vessels to be produced at the Jingdezhen and the Longquan kilns, indicating that Jingdezhen wares had not yet acquired a monopoly in the early Ming dynasty. In time, the diverse decorative patterns and colored glaze of Jingdezhen wares seemed to please public tastes more and created a trend. The underglaze blue porcelain wares produced at Jingdezhen present decorative patterns and in their full glory, and they were able to follow court specifications, so they gradually rose to prominence and became the mainstay of court vessels, appearing in the imperial household in the form of eating utensils, ritual vessels, and stationary and gift items.

Early Ming underglaze blue porcelain was characterized by patterns and shapes that exhibited a masculine allure and were glazed with a cobalt blue pigment called “Sumali cobalr”, which gave the porcelain an extravagantly bright color and occasional iron spots. Yuan dynasty underglaze blue porcelain already had strong exotic appeal; later on, Ming underglaze blue wares started to feature more new decorative elements, such as shapes and patterns inspired by Islamic art Sanskrit and Tibetan inscription, reflecting Ming China’s interactions with neighboring Asian countries, and these lively interactions contributed to the diversity of Chinese underglaze blue porcelain.

Part2 － Mid-Ming Underglaze Blue Porcelain

from the Zhengtong to the Zhengde Periods: 1436–1521

The great majority of imperial wares manufactured during the Zhengtong, Jingtai, and Tianshun reigns were not given reign marks, so this period used to be known as the “blank” or “dark” period of the history of Chinese porcelain. However, by examining their decorative elements and shapes, researchers have identified a group of underglaze blue porcelain works as official wares dating between the Xuande and Chenghua reigns, indicating that official kilns were still producing porcelains wares during this period. In addition, underglaze blue porcelain exports salvaged from shipwrecks of the same period also serve to illustrate the history of mid-Ming local kiln wares.The underglaze blue porcelain wares of the Chenghua, Hongzhi, and Zhengde periods were of a lighter color than those produced during earlier periods, and the painting of these pieces tended to leave more white space on the porcelain body, creating a serene and elegant aesthetic. The Huihui (Arabic and Persian) scripts on official wares produced during the Zhengde reign are evidence of the influence of Islam in China, and also to the fact that the emperor could dictate the specifications of official porcelain wares. Towards the middle of the dynasty, a new style of polychrome glazed ware was born. This period saw the emergence of a technique called doucai (“competing colors”), a blue underglaze and multicolored overglaze, which paved the way for the colorful porcelain of the late Ming.

Part3 － Late Ming Underglaze Blue Porcelain

from the Jiajing Reign to the End of the Ming Dynasty: 1522–1644

After the Jiajing reign, decorative elements on underglaze blue porcelain wares became more and more elaborate and new shapes emerged, which points to technical sophistication. Meanwhile, under the influence of the emperor’s religious faith, Daoist and Buddhist elements also became part and parcel of porcelain works, and these religious images often have auspicious symbolic meanings. By the Wanli reign, the distinction between imperial and local kilns had become more and more blurred. A slack in the enforcement of the ban on maritime trade also helped bring local kilns to prominence, and underglaze blue porcelains became popular items for export. In response to the increase in orders from abroad, underglaze blue porcelain took on additional exotic elements. The global appeal of underglaze blue porcelain during this period is evidenced by its presence in overseas exhibitions and collections, salvage from shipwrecks, and archaeological excavations. Ming dynasty underglaze blue porcelain made its way from China to Europe and beyond, delighting all in its path.

Part4 － Asian Blue-and-White Porcelains

Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Iran

During the early Ming dynasty, in the second half of the fourteenth century, while Europeans were still trying to crack the secret of how to produce this “white gold”, China’s neighbors—Vietnam, Korea, and Japan—learned from each other and produced their own forms of blueand-white porcelain. The wares manufactured in these countries were each distinctive in their own way: the Korean type, adorned with fine and intricate designs, had an air of sophistication; wares produced in Vietnam were characterized by green overglaze and golden luster; and in Japan, blue-and-white porcelains came in two vastly different styles, one simple and austere, and the other lively and colorful. The art of blue-and-white porcelain radiated from China to the other regions of Asia, and the diverse cultures of these regions enriched the tradition of blue-and-white porcelain.

Both the Ming and Qing dynasties imposed bans on maritime trade for a certain period of time, and official and civilian ships were forbidden from sailing overseas. As a result of these restrictions, the supply of Chinese blue-andwhite porcelain in the global market dried up. In response to this dearth, Vietnamese and Japanese potters scrambled to join the international maritime trade in porcelain wares and quickly became suppliers of these luxury commodities.