Crystalline Glazes: Crystal Flowers grow on China Porcelain

Crystalline Glaze is one exceptional glaze growing into needle-shaped, star, icy quartz and floweriness patterns over a cool down cycle between 1100°C and 1020°C from. Due to different chemical composition, glaze thickness and heat treatment cycles, it is not able to find any crystalline glaze in exactly the same pattern with others in the world.

Chemical composition is the critical factor determining what crystal pattern it would form. It most commonly made of frit, silica, and iron/zinc oxide. Crystalline glaze exists a long time since Sung Dynasty. In the early days, it belongs to iron crystal, which is known as black glaze, such as Yuteki, Rabbit-fur streaks and Tenmoku glaze.





Gradually, crystalline glaze had been evolving into different types, such as tea-dust, eel-yellow and crab-green glaze in Ching Dynasty. Since people had a lack of knowledge of chemical changes, those glazes mostly are named after their patterns and physical appearance.


Nowadays, most popular crystalline glaze in Yingge City is zinc crystal. Its fully rounded crystals present splendid and extraordinary flower-like effect. Even the artists joy over the unexpected from their own pieces.

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