Chinese blue-and-white porcelain collecting guide

The colour blue gained special significance in the history of Chinese ceramics during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The distinctive colour in blue-glazed pottery and porcelain comes from cobalt ores imported from Persia, which were a scarce ingredient at the time and used in only limited quantities.

In the Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties in particular, different types of cobalt ore and methods of application determined the distinctive shades of blue that appeared on blue-and-white porcelain ware.

It is believed that cobalt ores were widely exploited in western Asia for use as pigments from as early as 2000 B.C. In China, they were first used for glassmaking during the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.).

The flourishing of the Silk Road trade route saw the introduction of imported cobalt to China. Its use in low-fired earthenware, along with other lead-based glazes, led to the rapid development of three-coloured sancai wares.

Imported cobalt

In the Song dynasty (960-1279) — a high point in the production of monochrome wares — artisans regarded the use of cobalt blue as an impossibility. It was not until the Mongol-ruled Yuan dynasty that the manufacture of blue-and-white porcelain came to maturity, which resulted in richer and more complex designs.

In part, this development had a religious component: the Mongols counted as their mythical ancestors the ‘hazy blue’ wolf and the ‘white’ fallow doe. Blue-and-white porcelain was very highly prized, being reserved for special occasions or diplomatic gifts.

The Samarra Blue (sumali qing) or Sumatra Blue (suboni qing) cobalt used for Yuan wares was rich in iron, which yielded a glaze with darker blue spots. This so-called ‘heaped and piled’ effect was caused by the accumulation of iron oxide in the cobalt pigment in certain areas of the surface.

During the reigns of Yongle (1403-1425) and Xuande (1426-1435), in the early Ming period, the main source of colour in blue-and-white porcelain was smalt cobalt, brought by the returning fleets of Zheng He’s (1371-1433) maritime expeditions. Subsequently, more rigorous firing processes resulted in subtle displays of ‘heap and pile’ characteristics, with varying tones of rich and brilliant cobalt blue visible in the glazed surface.

Local cobalt

In the Hongwu period (1368-1398), the supply of imported cobalt was briefly disrupted by several foreign trade restrictions. Locally mined cobalt, distinguished by a high proportion of manganese, came to play an increasingly dominant role after the Xuande period (1426-1435). From the Chenghua (1465-1487) to the Zhengde (1506-1521) period, the use of local cobalt resulted in a softer, pale blue colour.

The mixture of imported and local cobalts

Another kind of local cobalt, called ‘Mineral Blue’ (shi qing or shizi qing), was sourced from Jiangxi province. Characterised by a muted leaden-blue colour, it was commonly used for minyao (folk kiln) blue-and-white wares. However, when mixed with ‘Muslim Blue’ (huiqing) — the most precious type of ‘Mineral Blue’ from Central Asia, Xinjiang and Yunnan provinces — it generated a distinctive purplish-blue tone. The vividness of the glaze, ranging from violet to silvery blue, depended on the amount of ‘Mineral Blue’ included.

The desirability of various tones largely depended on the taste of different emperors. For example, the Xuande Emperor favoured a purplish blue with heaping and piling effect, while the Chenghua Emperor preferred the washy tone.

If Yuan blue-and-white was the first high point, Yongle (1403-1425) to Chenghua (1465-1487) can be considered the second, with Chongzhen (1628-1644) to Kangxi (1662-1722) — the so-called Transitional Period — being the third. Using local cobalt mined in the Shaoxing, Jinhua and Quzhou areas of Zhejiang province, the ‘Zhejiang Blue’ applied to Kangxi blue-and-white porcelain resulted in intense, bright shades with an almost three-dimensional quality.

Art d’Asie takes place on 10 June 2025, alongside Art of Asia online until 13 June. Both sales are on view at Christie’s in Paris until 9 June

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