Cordierite ceramic was fabricated by reducing Al 2 O 3 mole ratio from 2.0 to 1.4 with kaolin, silicon dioxide and magnesium oxide as the raw materials. The effect of reduced Al 2 O 3 mole ratio on the sintering behaviors, phase transition, main properties, and microstructure were characterized in detail. The results show that cordierite phase becomes the main crystallization phase at 1300 o C, and mullite phase can be consumed to produce cordierite phase by reducing Al 2 O 3 mole ratio. But additional quartz phase still exists until 1400 o C. Moreover, the open porosity, pore connectivity and pore size increase as Al 2 O 3 mole ratio reduces from 2.0 to 1.4 while the linear shrinkage percent and bulk density decrease with the reduced Al 2 O 3. It is considered that the sintering activity of the raw materials at low temperature decreases due to the increase of chemically pure magnesium oxide and silica with the decrease of Al 2 O 3 mole ratio, while the crystallization process, pore growth and cordierite phase rather than the liquid phase control the densification process at high temperature.