[Explanation] China is the hometown of porcelain. It originated from Chinese porcelain nearly 4,000 years ago. Since the Three Kingdoms, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, it has gone abroad and sold to Asia and Europe.
Recently, Professor Zhang Liangren of Nanjing University accepted an exclusive interview with the East-West Question column of China News Service. From the perspective of archaeology, he shared topics such as "Why is Chinese porcelain so popular in the world?" "Porcelain" as the medium, embrace the world and continue to innovate.
[Subtitles] When and where did Chinese porcelain first originate?
[Concurrent] Zhang Liangren, Professor of the Department of Archaeology, School of History, Nanjing University
I prefer that porcelain originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Before the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a long-term development process, and the products in this process were called primitive porcelain.
Original porcelain is fired with porcelain stone, and it has a continuous development process from original porcelain to porcelain.
[Subtitles] What is the evolution from firing pottery to making porcelain?
[Concurrent] Zhang Liangren, Professor of the Department of Archaeology, School of History, Nanjing University
The invention of pottery provides convenience for us humans to cook food. Pottery appeared very early, and the time of origin is different in different parts of the world.
In China, the earliest we have found now is around 18,000 years ago. The earliest pottery pieces were found at the Xianrendong site in Jiangxi Province (Wannian County), indicating that the earliest pottery had appeared at that time.
With the continuous development of (pottery-making skills), its firing technology is also constantly improving, and there are some painted pottery and black pottery behind.
【Subtitle】What is the difference between the firing of pottery and porcelain?
[Concurrent] Zhang Liangren, Professor of the Department of Archaeology, School of History, Nanjing University
It is another leap (process) from pottery to porcelain. Pottery is generally fired with ordinary clay, and the firing temperature will be relatively low. In addition, it is unglazed.
(And) the raw materials used for porcelain are different. It uses a special clay, which we generally call porcelain stone. Later, kaolin is also used. There is a layer of high-temperature glaze on the outside. Appreciate the porcelain that China goes to (export), they praise our Chinese porcelain.
[Subtitles] The spread of Chinese porcelain overseas has led to a global upsurge in imitation. What is the process like?
[Concurrent] Zhang Liangren, Professor of the Department of Archaeology, School of History, Nanjing University
(We think) Chinese porcelain was first exported (exported) during the Three Kingdoms, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties.
At that time, porcelain was fired in Yue kilns in Zhejiang Province, and products from this region began to be exported to Japan and the Korean peninsula.
After the 9th century, Chinese porcelain was continuously transported to West Asia. Arab merchants brought Chinese porcelain back to the Persian Gulf, Egypt, and Syria. From those places, they (businessmen) sold them to the Arab world. even sold to Europe.
Since the 16th century, Europeans began to imitate Chinese porcelain. They first imitated Chinese Xing kiln white porcelain, and also imitated Tang Sancai.
[Subtitle] Through porcelain as a medium, how can we pursue "beauty and beauty together" in "harmony but difference" and "each with its own beauty"?
[Concurrent] Zhang Liangren, Professor of the Department of Archaeology, School of History, Nanjing University
China's porcelain stone kaolin (resource) is still very rich, (now) China's porcelain is still being produced and still exported.
They are also producing (porcelain) in Arab (country) and some European countries, so this has formed a prosperous picture of porcelain production.
As long as we use our brains to develop and tap, we will always be able to tap this new potential. This is what we will do in the future.
We keep an open mind, we must be good at learning their good products, good technology, and some good ideas, so that we can better enrich our own culture and expand Our own vision inspires our own potential for innovation.
Reporter Yang Yanci Ge Yong reports from Nanjing, Jiangsu
Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]