More than one thousand years ago in China people used greenstone cups. These cups made out of nephrite were very expensive. After years and years of research the Chinese potters managed to find a combination of materials that overtook the ax stone also called jade. This new invention was named porcelain. The Chinese porcelain was not that expensive as the jade and it was easier to work with.

For a long time though, when people referred to the Chinese porcelain, they called it jade imitation. The secret of porcelain stone was a combination of two rocks: isinglass and quartz. On top of that for giving a white color to the Chinese porcelain they used kaolin in the mixture.

During the Sung Dynasty the development of the Chinese porcelain flourished. Hundred thousand people were hired at that time. Some of them just washed the clay and some of them were watching over the kilns temperature. A kiln was so big that 25 thousand pieces of Chinese porcelain fitted inside. The Chinese porcelain during this period was shaped simple because the artisans were in a continuous search of the perfect material. Colors like red, violet, blue and green were used for decoration.

Stepping into the Ming Dynasty we find designs similar with the ones from Sung Dynasty. United Kingdom museums have in possession the oldest tea cup from this age. Thin walls almost clean and incredible finesse are some of the features of Chinese porcelain pieces. True works of art, the Chinese porcelain pieces were not only shaped as dishes but also as musical instruments. A touch with a stick on a wall produced a melodic sound. The royal family received every year 16 thousand plates, 18 thousand cups and 31 thousand large plates. They even build Pagoda Nanking in 1415 which is an aedicule made completely out of Chinese porcelain.