Traditional Crafts of Porcelain Making in Jingdezhen

Bai Ming, a renowned contemporary Chinese artist and writer, he is a tenured professor at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, where he serves as the Chair of the Ceramics Art Department and Executive Deputy Director of the Tsinghua University Art Museum. He is also the Secretary-General of the Ceramics Art Committee of the China Artists Association, Deputy Director of the Ceramics Art Research Institute at the China National Academy of Painting, a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) under UNESCO, a member of the China Artists Association, a member of the China Oil Painting Society, a distinguished professor at Hubei University of Technology’s School of Art and Design, a visiting professor at Guangxi Arts University, Art Director of China Ceramic Art Network.

Contents
Foreword (second edition)
A note

Jingdezhen, the Porcelain Capital

Quarrying and processing porcelain clay
Quarrying and initial processing of porcelain clay
Making Petuntse
The Porcelain Workshop Structure
Refining and preparing clay

Shaping
Throwing a zhatai bowl
Impressing, trimming and painting rings on a zhatai bowl
Wedging and Throwing
Wedging
Throwing a straight-edged teacup
Throwing a vase
Throwing a large bowl with a wide mouth
Throwing a one-meter diameter plate
Throwing a very large vase
Dressing
Cutting off
Slab-construction
Trimming
Trimming a small or medium sized vase
Trimming a very large vase
Trimming a straight edged teacup
Glazing the foot
Water replenishing
Glazing

Decorating techniques
Blue and white
Blue and white hunshui decoration
Decorating a lotus plate using the fenshui technique
Blue and white folk landscape decoration
Straight-edged cup decoration
Antique imitation blue and white decoration
Underglaze red decoration
Applying underglaze blue and red to a large vase decorated with a reef motif
Engraved decoration
Engraving a lotus motif
Overglaze decoration
Tools
Pine and crane fencai decoration
Antique imitation fencai
Xincai overglaze decoration with Yuewei Cottage motif

Jingdezhen Kilns and Firing
Jingdezhen kilns
Firing overglaze decoration
Transporting wares
Loading and firing the kiln
Tools for loading, firing and unloading

Appendix
Rice straw packing
Select Bibliography