More a method of making enamel porcelain than an antique Chinese
doll, "porcelain queen" refers to the age-old porcelain-making
technique that had been left for dead for more than 200 years.
After eight years of tireless research, the technique was revived
by experts from the National Museum in Beijing and artisans from
the ancient porcelain-making city of Jingdezhen, and several pieces
will be put on display at the museum from June 6.
Enamel porcelain made using this particular technique was the
pride and joy of ancient China. The technique was termed "cai ci
huang hou" or "porcelain queen" because each piece had a
distinctive white and exquisitely crafted clay body, with a
glittery jade-like glaze, and bright colorful patterns that
indicated fine workmanship.
Unfortunately, the technique disappeared into obscurity after
Qianlong's reign some time during the Qing Dynasty (1711-1799).
Xiong Jianjun is a porcelain-making master from Jingdezhen, a
city in Jiangxi Province, that is renowned for its
porcelain.
Eight years ago, experts from the museum on a mission to
research the technique and revive it went to Jingdezhen. They met
Xiong and asked him to join them in their quest.
According to Xiong: "The most difficult thing about producing
enamel is getting the right mix of color."
Recounting the early stages of the research, he said that paints
used to make enamel contain boron or arsenic. The porcelain starts
to calcify in the kiln when temperatures reached a few hundred
degrees centigrade. This causes poisonous smoke to billow from the
furnace. Even with masks on, people standing near the kiln began to
bleed from the nose.
“I can't tell you how many times we tried to perfect the
technique," Xiong said. But last year, he and the team finally
managed to replicate the technique that their predecessors used to
make porcelain over 200 years ago.?
Using the newly revived technique, the team made by hand copies
of several treasured pieces of art using the same raw materials as
were used during the Qing Dynasty. And they followed the old
technique as closely as possible; collecting and breaking stones,
filtering, washing, trampling and kneading mud, stretching and
trimming clay, blowing glaze, painting and inscribing. The works
were even burnt in a wood-fire kiln.
Wang Junlin, who is in charge of this exhibition, disclosed that
50 copies were made of each of the 20 exhibits. Engraved, that is
fired into the porcelain, on the bottom of each piece is the period
or era to which that piece belongs and a serial number. Those with
serial numbers 50 will be kept at the museum permanently. The
others will be sold as part of a limited edition collection.
Free tickets to the exhibition are available. Booking hotline:
010-5179 8969.
(China.org.cn by Xu Lin, June 2, 2006)