Porcelain
China, the birthplace of porcelain, boasts a rich and vibrant history of porcelain-making that represents one of the country's greatest inventions and contributions to world civilization. As the country that invented porcelain, China has long been known as the "Porcelain Kingdom" and the word "China" in English refers to both porcelain and the country itself.
Porcelain is made from materials such as porcelain stone, kaolin, feldspar, and quartz, and is coated with glass glazes or decorated with painted designs. During the high-temperature firing process, the materials and glazes undergo various chemical changes, resulting in different textures, colors, and patterns that are unique to different periods and regions. Typical examples of Chinese porcelain include the white porcelain of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), blue-and-white porcelain of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and polychrome porcelain of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province is renowned for its porcelain-making craftsmanship, which dates back more than 900 years and produced porcelain for the imperial court, earning the city the title of "Porcelain Capital of China". Porcelain masterpieces showcase the high-level technological expertise of ancient China, and embody the unique cultural and aesthetic values of the East.
As an art form from the East, Chinese porcelain was an important symbol of traditional Chinese culture and an important commodity along the ancient Silk Road. Porcelain trade facilitated material and technological exchanges across the world and its rich cultural meanings informed cross-cultural communication and the development of world culture.
瓷器
中国是瓷器的故乡，多姿多彩的瓷器是中国古代的伟大发明之一，也是中华民族对世界文明的伟大贡献。中国是最先发明瓷器的国家，外国人把中国称作“瓷器之国”，英语中的“China”既名瓷器，又称中国。
瓷器由瓷石、高岭土、石英石、莫来石等烧制而成，外表施有玻璃质釉或彩绘。在高温烧制过程中，瓷器的胎料和釉色因温度不同而发生各种化学变化，形成不同的质地、色彩和纹饰，使不同时期、不同产地的瓷器精美雅致、各具特色。宋朝的白瓷、元代的青花瓷、明清的五彩瓷是中国瓷器发展史上的典型代表。江西景德镇因制瓷工艺闻名于世，历史上曾为皇室制作瓷器长达900多年，被称为中国的“瓷都”。这些瓷器精品不仅体现了古代中国领先世界的技艺水平，更承载着东方世界的独特文化和审美。
作为来自东方的艺术品，中国瓷器是中华传统文化的重要标识，也是古代丝绸之路上的重要货物，自唐朝开始就远销海外。瓷器贸易推动了世界物质和技术交流，其蕴含的丰富人文内涵，对中外文明交流互鉴和世界文化发展产生了深远影响。
