Porcelain and pottery are made by firing clay, but within this general principle there lie many variations in raw materials and processing methods. High-quality porcelain is made from kaolin mixed with quartz and feldspar, a combination which can be found in only a few places. Such porcelain can be molded, glazed, decorated and fired in the most delicate patterns and shapes.
The Chinese started making porcelain in the Tsin dynasty, (265-419 A.D.) and by the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) it was being exported to Western countries. These delicate products came to be greatly treasured in the West, and because they came from China, they became known as "china" ware.
The technique of making porcelain reached its peak in the reign of Emperor Chien Lung (1736-1795) of the Ching dynasty. Pictured here is one of the masterpieces of this dynasty, composed of two vases, one inside the other. The outer vase, covered with blue glaze and decorated with a golden floral pattern, has four flower-shaped openings. The inner vase is tinted green with colored fishes and falling blossoms. When it is rotated, it looks as if the fish are swimming.
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