Abstract:

The earliest white porcelain of archaeological excavation was found in Baihe kiln site in Gongyi county of Henan province. Meanwhile, several blue-and-white porcelain shards were discovered from the late Tang stratum of Baihe and Huangye kiln sites, which was the first time of finding Tang blue-and-white porcelain at kiln site. In this work, the chemical composition, firing temperature, microstructure, ceramic properties and chromaticity of the celadon and white porcelain shards of Northern Wei and Tang dynasties from Baihe kiln site were determined by systematical technical methods, and the experimental data were analyzed by the statistical analysis method. The results clarified the origin and evolution of Chinese white porcelain for the first time. In addition, the samples consist of excavated shards of blue-and-white porcelain, white porcelain, Tang tricolor pottery, and blue-on-white pottery from the Tang strata of the Baihe and the Huangye kiln sites were compositely analyzed to reveal the evolution law of the origin of Tang blue-and-white porcelain in three processes: Tang tricolor pottery, blue-on-white pottery, blue-and-white porcelain. These studies are also very important to supplement the ancient ceramic history of science and technology in china.

Key words: Baihe kiln, Huangye kiln, white porcelain, blue and white porcelain, statistical analysis, origin and evolution