The distinction between pottery and porcelain is not simply about the presence or absence of glaze. In fact, pottery can be glazed—such as the Han Dynasty’s “Hanlu” glaze or the Tang Sancai (Tang tri-color) wares from the Tang Dynasty. On the other hand, porcelain can also be unglazed, like white porcelain bowls, which are so fine and smooth that they are clearly not considered pottery. Interestingly, during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, as well as the Warring States period, certain types of hard pottery produced in southern China using porcelain stone had already reached a level close to true porcelain. When tapped, they produced a crisp, ringing sound, suggesting they might even be considered early forms of porcelain. The real difference lies in the materials used and the firing temperature. Both factors are essential. Pottery is typically made from various types of clay, including kaolin, but it is fired at lower temperatures—usually between 700°C and 1000°C. The body becomes sintered and no longer dissolves in water, but it remains porous and absorbs a lot of moisture. Under a microscope, there are very few glassy mullite crystals, meaning it lacks the characteristics of porcelain. The sound when struck is dull and lifeless. Porcelain, on the other hand, is made primarily from high-alumina kaolin and is fired at higher temperatures, usually over 1100°C. This results in a fully vitrified body with a large number of mullite crystals visible under a microscope. It has low porosity and water absorption, and the sound when struck is clear and resonant. Western scholars often use the iron content in the body as a criterion for distinguishing between pottery and porcelain. They believe that pottery contains more metallic impurities, such as iron, giving it a darker color, while porcelain has less iron and appears whiter. However, I don’t entirely agree. The amount of iron may not define whether something is porcelain, but it does influence aesthetics. For example, the Five Famous Kilns of the Song Dynasty—Ru, Guan, Ge, Ding, and Jun—were all imperial porcelains. The first four were celadon wares, and their bodies contained more iron than what Western standards would consider "porcelain." Only Ding kiln produced white porcelain with lower iron content. Ding kiln porcelain was initially favored by the royal family at the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty and was used for official purposes. Today, the ceramic industry often references Ye Zhen’s *Tan Zhai Bi Heng* from the Southern Song Dynasty, which mentions: “The present Dingzhou white porcelain is unbearable with its mang.” The term “mang” has two interpretations. One suggests it refers to the unglazed rim, known as “Mangkou,” which could result from an over-glazing process. The ancient potters may have adopted a new method to increase efficiency and make better use of limited furnace space. When producing porcelain for the royal family, they were willing to invest extra cost to restore techniques like Yanggan or Zhizhu, making the issue solvable. I don’t believe that the artisans of Ding kiln were so ignorant as to forget their ancestors’ techniques and be outdone by the royalty. Another interpretation is that “mang” means bright glaze. I find this explanation more plausible. It relates closely to the aesthetic preferences of the Song dynasty’s ruling class, who favored a quiet, subtle, and mysterious style reminiscent of jade. Looking at the history of Song ceramics, we see that the imperial court pursued this refined, understated beauty. The Ru, Guan, Ge, and Jun kilns all produced celadon wares with rich glazes, but Ding kiln stood out with its white porcelain, featuring a variety of glaze colors—white, purple, black, and green—mostly glossy and transparent. While these pieces were visually appealing, they lacked the deep, jade-like quality found in other celadons. As a result, they were naturally replaced by the more refined styles preferred by the court.

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