AChineseporcelain-waredisplayingbattlesbetweendragons,Kangxiera(1662-1722),QingDynasty.

　　FonthillvaseistheearliestChineseporcelainobjecttohavereachedEurope.ItwasaChinesegiftforLouistheGreatofHungaryin1338.PorcelainisgenerallybelievedtohaveoriginatedinChina.Althoughproto-porcelainwaresexistdatingfromtheShangDynastyabout1600BCE,bytheEasternHanDynasty(100-200BCE)highfiringglazedceramicwareshaddevelopedintoporcelain,andporcelainmanufacturedduringtheTangDynastyperiod(618–906)wasexportedtotheIslamicworld,whereitwashighlyprized.[4]Earlyporcelainofthistypeincludesthetri-colorglazedporcelain,orsancaiwares.HistorianS.A.M.AdsheadwritesthattrueporcelainitemsintherestrictivesensethatweknowthemtodaycouldbefoundindynastiesaftertheTang,[5]duringtheSong,Yuan,Ming,andQingDynasties.

　　BytheSui(about580AD)andTang(about620AD)dynasties,porcelainhadbecomewidelyproduced.Eventually,porcelainandtheexpertiserequiredtocreateitbegantospreadintootherareas;bytheseventeenthcentury,itwasbeingexportedtoEurope.

　　KoreanandJapaneseporcelainalsohavelonghistoriesanddistinctartistictraditions.