Ming Blue-and-White Porcelain

Timeline

1. 1581–1585Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Works · JiangxiThe Wanli imperial kiln works blended Huqing and Zhejiang cobalt to achieve the blue tone, firing large jars, plates, and bowls with dragon-and-phoenix and interlocking lotus motifs bearing the mark 'Made in the Wanli Reign of the Great Ming,' for court sacrifices, gifts, and display, representing the highest craft level of Ming official-kiln blue-and-white.
2. 1583–1588Yuegang, Zhangzhou · FujianUnder the maritime prohibition, Yuegang became the distribution hub for private trade on the southeast coast; private-kiln blue-and-white porcelain was shipped from Yuegang to Japan, Southeast Asia, and Portuguese merchant vessels. The Hai Cheng county gazetteer records a surge in porcelain exports in this period, giving rise to export categories such as Kraak porcelain.
3. 1585–1590Beijing · ChinaThrough the tributary system, the Ming bestowed blue-and-white porcelain on Korean and Ryukyuan envoys, while Kyushu in Japan and Southeast Asian ports also purchased large quantities of Wanli blue-and-white; the ware became a shared aesthetic standard and status symbol of the East Asian cultural sphere.
4. 1587–1590Manila · PhilippinesFujian merchant ships carried blue-and-white porcelain to Manila, exchanging it for American silver and Mexican silk; the galleon trade first brought Wanli blue-and-white on a large scale into New Spain and the European market, completing the final link in the global circulation of porcelain.