Chinese Pottery and Porcelain Trade

With the progress of China in the pottery andthan European-made ones. One early effect of
porcelain the European nations started their huntEuropean research was that just as the Chinese
to imitate or copy the Chinese styles and designs.had copied the cobalt blue of the Persians, so
The Chinese made drinking-vessels, cups andthey imitated the pink colour used successfully at
saucers and teapots popular in their own styles.Dresden. In the reign of Yung Cheng this was
The Chinese trade with the European in theemployed extensively and completely changed the
potteries and porcelain wares grew quite high.prevailing tone of decorated porcelain. The opaque
In the reverse direction, Europeans of all thepink gave its name to the type of coloring: famille
nations then established in trade with China, wererose, which lasted for the rest of the eighteenth
sending to their agents in the East pieces of silver,century through the reign of Ch'ien Lung.
pottery and other articles to have them imitatedThe transmission of designs continued, and one
in the wonder material; at the same time, theypopular feature was the ordering of complete
sent engravings and drawings to be copied asdinner services painted with the coat-of-arms,
decoration. These tasks were performed by thecrest or initials of the European owner.
Chinese with great skill, and resulted in a constantPunchbowls, mugs, tea sets, and innumerable
flood of goods in both directions throughout theother articles were ornamented in a similar
eighteenth century.manner and are sought eagerly today. About
A further stimulus to the trade was public interest1800, America was also importing from China, and
in tea drinking, and the sending of increasingthere remain in the United States many examples
amounts of the leaf from China. The beverageof old porcelain with the insignia of their former
being new to the West, no drinking-vesselsowners. An outstanding punchbowl given to the
entirely suitable were available, and the OrientalsCity of New York in 1802 bears a view of the
obligingly sent porcelain cups and saucers andcity, and is inscribed with the date of presentation
teapots. Many of these traveled packed in theas well as the name of the Chinese artist who
holds of East Indiamen with the tea above, sopainted it.
that the bilge water would not ruin the latter.By many people on both sides of the Atlantic
The first teapots sent from the East were mademuch of this eighteenth-century porcelain
of hard red stoneware; known as Yi-hsingexported from China is called 'Lowestoff. It was
pottery, and the legend quickly grew that teagiven this name mistakenly a century ago, and
could only be enjoyed if poured from a red pot. Italthough the error was corrected soon
will be found that many of the first teapots madeafterwards the name has stayed.
in Europe (other than those of silver) were of redEuropean tried to copy the Chinese styles and
stoneware in imitation of the imported ones.designs through their missionaries and embassies
With the discoveries of Bdttger and the makingofficials. With the coming of porcelain in Europe
of porcelain in Europe, the Chinese monopoly wasthe Chinese monopoly was broken but the name
broken, but the novelty of having something fromof Chinese porcelain still generates enough interest
far Cathay was sufficient to ensure a market. Inamong the people because the people trusted the
addition, the Chinese wares, in spite of theproduct of China in its original forms.
expenses of packing and transport, were cheaper