A study of the composition of Chinese blue and white porcelain

Blue and white Chinese porcelain specimens from Dehua and Zhangzhou kiln sites from the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644), and Jingdezhen kiln sites from the Yuan (An 1280-1368) to Ming dynasties were collected. The chemical compositions of these valuable samples were determined using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry, a non-destructive method, and some Jingdezhen samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy The EDXRF results were subjected to correspondence analysis. Differences in the composition of the specimen bodies were found for specimens from different production sites. The blue and white Jingdezhen imperial porcelain from the Yuan to Ming dynasties can be divided into two periods based on differences in the chemical composition and microstructure of the pigments. The reasons for these variations are discussed.