Blue and White China in Turkey

(Thanks to the ancient Silk Road, many of the precious blue and white porcelain produced in China in 13th century have survived up to the present day in Turkey, while in China, similar items are extremely hard to find. For a long time Chinese porcelain experts have hoped to examine these cultural relics in Turkey, but only recently have their wishes have been granted. )

It was an ordinary day in the middle of 13th century. A caravan of camels was heading west from China following a narrow, winding trail, loaded down with the goods on their backs. The trail that they were following is now known as the “Silk Road”, the main trade route connecting China with western Asia and Europe in ancient times.

As most people are aware, silk and porcelains accounted for the most part of the goods transported from China to the outside world. However, few know that most of the porcelains traded between China and west Asia and Europe, the distinctive blue and white china was the most popular. The majority of these porcelains arrived in Turkey, the point where the east and west converge, and took root there. Nowadays in Turkey, not only can you find many precious porcelains made in ancient China, but also locally produced ones that apply techniques and skills that were originally developed in China.

This fact has been recognised by Chinese scholars for a number of years. Nevertheless, it is very rare that porcelain experts from this country get the chance to have a close look at the Chinese treasures in person. As a result, their research and study into ancient Chinese porcelains has been greatly hampered in the past.

But things changed when the Cultural Relics Bureau of China launched the filming of a documentary series called Tour in China, the Porcelain Country as far back as 1992. One of the important features of the documentary was the presence in overseas collections of porcelains made in China. This opportunity provided by the documentary rekindled the desire of several Chinese porcelain experts to view the precious porcelains in Turkey, especially the unique items of blue and white china.

Ms. Jiang Qiqi is one of the instigators of this project to enable Chinese experts and scholars to view the Turkish collection of porcelains. Starting in 1993, she has visited Istanbul several times to negotiate with Turkish officials. It was not until this year, however, that the project was finalised. At the beginning of April, a delegation of Chinese porcelain experts visited Turkey and reviewed the blue and white china that has been preserved there. Ms. Jiang says that the trip proved to be a great success and that Chinese experts have gained a great deal through personal inspection of cultural relics that could not be examined in China.

“In Turkey, we examined the blue and white china through museum collections, historical records, Turkish customs and the tombs and graves as well. By looking into each of these areas, we’ve come up with some important discoveries.”

As one of the great inventions that China has contributed to the world, porcelain has been favoured by royal families and nobles in Europe and western Asia since its importation along the Silk Road. On April 9, 1917, for example, the Austrian emperor made a deal with the Prussian king to exchange 127 items of china for 600 royal guardians. On some occasions, china has become a symbol of status and fortune. But, among all the various types of porcelains, blue and white china enjoys the greatest reputation and most prominence in western countries. At home, too, in the renowned Porcelain Capital of China, Jingdezhen, blue and white china is listed as belonging to the premium type of porcelains.

The production of blue and white china started in the Yuan Dynasty and entered its golden era during the 12th and 13th centuries. But it remains a strange phenomenon that China, despite its great volume of blue and white china production at that time, has kept very few of its porcelains produced in the Yuan Dynasty. Ms. Jiang Qiqi explained further.

“The production of blue and white china in Yuan Dynasty was mostly export-oriented. That’s why the patterns on china discovered from that period all cater for the tastes of western Asia. We have also found some big porcelain bowls and large porcelain dishes, however, which show that blue and white china production in the Yuan Dynasty tried to fit local customs and living habits, although they remain in the minority”

Ms. Jiang says during the Ming Dynasty, although some patterned porcelain had adopted Chinese characteristics, blue and white china still served as the main export product of China. By the Qing Dynasty, however, its production had been almost completely directed at the domestic market.

In the light of this explanation, the necessity for Chinese experts to carry out the research on blue and white china in Turkey becomes obvious. Most porcelains of this type made in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties have been transported abroad. What remain in China now are primarily from late Ming and Qing dynasties, and so there has previously been a large gap in the research capabilities of Chinese porcelain experts.

Now, though, this year’s review of the blue and white china preserved in Turkey has substantially improved the knowledge of Chinese experts on its age, development, raw materials, patterns, shapes, uses and its historical status overseas. During their tour in Turkey, for example, the experts found locally produced blue and white china incorporated into structures, including some mosques, that date back to the 14th century. The patterns on the china, however, are identical to those being produced in China during the same period. They also found similar patterns in the grave of the daughter of a prominent Turkish sultan. Such discoveries demonstrate the strong influence that Chinese porcelain production has had throughout history on local china production in Turkey.

During the course of history, many porcelain artefacts have been displaced from China by foreign invading powers. The blue and white china preserved in Turkey, however, has become a symbol of the trade and communication between China and the West. Mei Ninghua, the director of Beijing Cultural Relics Bureau, says that their visit to Turkey this time has strengthened the friendship between two countries.

“Both China and Turkey possess a long history and a rich cultural heritage. Our study of porcelains in Turkey has proved to be a good opportunity for communication between the two countries. Moreover, the blue and white china preserved in Turkey today was transported there by means of trade or cultural exchange, which proves that, for more than 800 years, this kind of communication has existed between China and Turkey.”

Director Mei hopes that their visit to Turkey is just a start, and he plans to continue the project by holding an exhibition of these precious and beautiful porcelains in China, from where they originally come. Of course to fulfil such a dream will still need a great deal of cooperation between the two countries. Given progress made so far, however, the process should be quicker this time around .

In ancient times, the Silk Road acted as a symbol of the communication that existed between East and West in ancient times. Although this legendary trading route has long since disappeared into the desert, the connection between China and the outside world still remains as strong as ever. The exquisite blue and white china, which has improved communications between China and Turkey, is just one more reminder of this lasting link.