Porcelain and the Material Culture of the Mongol-Yuan Court

Abstract

This paper offers a re-evaluation of the significance of porcelain during the Yuan dynasty by analyzing a type of ceramics known as luanbai or shufu wares. These matt white porcelains, sometimes inscribed with the characters shu and fu, have generally been seen as official wares, manufactured on the orders of the highest echelons of the Yuan central government and classified as high-quality luxury wares associated with the imperial court. This paper proposes that this conventional interpretation is misleading. Instead of understanding luanbai wares as part of the narrative of ceramics manufacture and the history of porcelain, I explore their relevance by situating them in the context of Yuan-dynasty material culture more broadly, court-sponsored craft manufactures, and the practice of inscribing objects. This approach reveals a different story, highlighting the absence of court control over ceramic production, the ensuing freedom to experiment locally with new ceramic production methods, and the significance of the demands of consumers in territories outside Yuan China.

The Art History and Material Culture of the Yuan Empire

“…XREF). The distribution of ceramic finds across inner and maritime Eurasia maps out the range and extent of the trading system controlled through Mongol networks of trade licencing, capital controls, related infrastructure and policing (see Shih 2008, Gerritsen 2012). The tribute system centred on Dadu afforded a model for equally extensive inter-and intra-regional trade networks and not just for highstatus possessions like horses and hounds or luxury consumables like wine, tea and medicine.…”

A Comparative Study of Contemporary Ceramic Sculptures between China and Bangladesh

“…Yuan sculptures combined the expression of Chinese and Mongolian art [28]. During the Yuan Dynasty, people specifically made the Shufu porcelain ceramic ware and sculptures [29]. A very opaque glaze is wholly used in Shufu porcelain.…”