The TT Tsui collection of Chinese ceramics

Introduction | History | Burial Rites and Mingqi | Spiritual Beliefs | Ceramics

Glossary

• Celadon – a transparent green colour glaze.
• Coil technique – clay is rolled into long strips which are wound on top of each other to build up a basic shape.
• Earthenware – clay fired at a low kiln temperature around 800–1,100°C . Earthenware is not very strong and is porous.
• High fired – refers to ceramics, such as stoneware and porcelain, that are baked in a kiln at high temperature.
• Hunping – spirit jar, a specific term used to describe unusual vessels decorated with animals and people that were made during the Western Jin Dynasty (265–326).
• Low-fired – refers to ceramics, such as earthenware, that are baked in a kiln at low temperature.
• Lute – two pieces of clay, often separate halves of a vessel, are joined by pinching the edges together. The join is smoothed over using a spatula.
• Mingqi – spirit wares, the generic term for grave goods.
• Oxidation firing – oxygen is allowed into the kiln chamber usually by allowing a through draft with a lot of clear flame.
• Porcelain - a special type of clay either white or grey, to which kaolin (a white firing stiff clay) and white China stone (finely decayed granite, washed and prepared as small white blocks) is added. When fired at temperatures of 1,280°C and over (up to 1,400°C was achieved by the Chinese), the body vitrifies, ie it becomes completely impermeable. Glazes can be applied for the first firing, or the vessel can be decorated with a low-firing glaze and put back into the kiln a second time.
• Reduction firing – the amount of oxygen in the kiln chamber is reduced during firing, often by closing the kiln doors at some stage. By varying the amount of oxygen in the kiln, the glazes will turn different colours under heat.
• Sancai glaze – a combination of three different coloured lead glazes which, after being painted onto the object's surface, ran during firing giving the appearance of having been splashed on. The most usual colour combination is amber, cream and green, though cream, blue and black is also used. In the Tang dynasty, the glazing was applied after the objects had been fired. It was then refired in an oxidising kiln below 950°C.
• Stoneware – harder than earthenware, stoneware is fired at a kiln temperature of about 1,200–1,300°C. Stoneware is strong and can hold water, though is not completely water proof unless glazed.