Kaolin Clay

A refractory, alumina-rich clay whose increasing use transformed the strength and firing behaviour of Jingdezhen porcelain bodies.

Technical Description

What it is

Kaolin is a refractory clay rich in kaolinite and alumina. Its name entered international ceramic vocabulary through the Gaoling area near Jingdezhen.

Its role in porcelain

Kaolin is not simply “the material porcelain is made from.” In Jingdezhen it works together with more fusible porcelain stone. It increases refractoriness and can strengthen the body at the very high temperatures required for porcelain.

Historical development

The proportion of kaolin used in Jingdezhen changed considerably over time. Scientific studies show relatively modest additions in much Ming production and substantially higher proportions in fine seventeenth- and eighteenth-century bodies.