Antique Chinese and Japanese Porcelain collector's help and info page

GLOSSARY

Tianbai (Sweet white)

The slightly matte, silky tianbai (Sweet white) glaze was developed in the Yongle reign (1403-24) in response to the emperor's preference for white porcelains. Excavations at the site of the Imperial kilns have shown that by far the greatest proportion of imperial porcelains made during the Yongle reign were white. Even in the Xuande reign (1426-35), when imperial production was dominated by underglaze blue-decorated wares, fine tianbai white wares were highly prized by the court.

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