OCS lecture: The Birth of Yuan Blue-and-White porcelain by Dr Huang Wei

This lecture was delivered live to OCS members in Hong Kong on 7 November 2024, in English with some Mandarin.

A note about this video: HD quality is available and English subtitles (with some Chinese) are included. Many thanks to Dr Huang for agreeing to share her knowledge with the OCS in English. A special thanks to Benjamin W. Yim for gamely translating from the audience (marked with brackets “[ ]” in the subtitles). Video production and subtitles created by David Wong and Renee Chiang, with help from Benjamin W. Yim. Introduction by Tina Pang.

A Comprehensive Study of the Birth of Yuan Blue-and-White Porcelain

Dr Huang’s lecture draws on her latest research on Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) blue-and-white porcelain. Building upon over 20 years of archaeological investigations, porcelain making and management practices in Jingdezhen, and utilising an interdisciplinary perspective that combines the thinking behind its design, business and industry, Dr Huang’s research presents a holistic account of how Yuan blue-and-white came into existence.

Dr Huang’s lecture addresses questions surrounding the production, design and markets for Yuan blue-and-white. Where did the technology for Yuan blue-and-white come from? How was it designed and made? Who were the consumers for Yuan blue-and-white porcelain? How did the export of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain to foreign markets affect the economy? What historical factors or mechanisms led to the emergence of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain?

Dr Huang Wei (May) holds a doctorate from the Academy of Fine Arts of Tsinghua University, an MA from the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University, and conducted a research fellowship at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is also co-founder of the Dongjiao Institute for ceramic studies and has published numerous articles in Wenwu and other publications. She has extensive field experience in archaeological excavations.

Special thanks to an anonymous member for covering the costs of the speaker’s travel and thus making this event possible.