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Glazed tiles are characteristic architectural ceramics traditionally used in ancient Chinese royal buildings. Studies on their chemical compositions have provided valuable information regarding their compositional classifications and the provenances of their raw materials. Existing studies have mainly focused on the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368 AD) or later. Research on earlier ages is limited because of a lack of samples. In this study, we used an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to analyze the chemical compositions of 18 glazed tiles unearthed from an imperial mausoleum (the Xinli site) from the Liao dynasty (969–982 AD). The glazes of the tiles had a SiO2–Al2O3–PbO ternary oxidic system and the bodies of the tiles had a SiO2–Al2O3 binary oxidic system. Certain compositional differences were observed among the samples with different types of decorations. Compared with samples from the Yuan dynasty and later periods, the Xinli samples had higher SiO2 and Al2O3 contents and lower PbO and CuO contents in the tile glazes. The tile bodies of the Xinli samples had compositions similar to those of tile bodies from the Qing dynasty (1616–1912 AD). We speculated that the Xinli samples with different decorations came from different kiln sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2014, a pit containing more than 10000 porcelain shards was excavated in the southwestern area of the Palace Museum. Reign marks and other stylistic criteria dated the manufacture of these fragments from the reign of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1368–98 CE) to the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty (1875–1908 CE). A famille rose (fencai, 粉彩) bowl decorated with a red-ground peony pattern and having the reign mark of Qianlong (1736–96 CE) on the base was studied using several non-destructive analytical methods to determine the variation in overglaze compositions, the colorants, the application sequences, the thickness of the colored layers and the high-temperature porcelain glaze, and the identification of the surface weathering products that formed during burial. The methods include non-destructive X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, optical stereomicroscopy, and laser confocal microscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln made unprecedented achievements in the firing of colour glazed porcelain during the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912). Among these, beige-glazed porcelain became an imperial porcelain variety reserved for the exclusive use of the imperial household. To reveal details of the manufacturing process, Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and spectrophotometry, combined with the records of ancient Chinese documents were used to analyse samples of beige-glazed porcelain fired at the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln in the early and middle Qing Dynasty (18th century) and unearthed from the Nandaku area of the Forbidden City. The results show that the colour of beige glaze in the Qing Dynasty was similar to that in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), which is consistent with ancient literature records reflecting the former's imitation of 'Beige Song Glaze'. The beige-glazed porcelain body is made of a binary formula of porcelain stone and kaolin clay, in a ratio between 5:5 and 4:6. Based on the glaze layer formula of purple-gold imperial porcelain, the beige glaze layer was fired by innovatively adjusting the ratio of glaze stone, glaze ash and purple-gold clay. The imitation of 'beige Song glaze' and the innovation of purple-gold glaze reflected the exacting production and high technology of the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln in the Qing Dynasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]