Geo Travel Blog

China hasnt always been trying to catch up with the West. As early as the Middle Ages, the Chinese invented printing, gun powder, and the compass. The famous British philosopher Francis Bacon described these three inventions as those that had changed the whole face and state of things throughout the world. This was also the case with fine porcelain Chinese tea sets, which was perfected by the Chinese centuries before Europe even had a clue.

Eventually Chinese tea sets were brought to Europe, and almost immediately their popularity took off like wildfire. Craftsmen in Europe tried to copy the china tea sets to satisfy demand. As the tea sets became more and more popular, a solution had to be found.

In the beginning, European kilns produced almost nothing that could compete with the Chinese tea sets. Artisans just couldn’t figure out the process. What’s more, there didnt seem to be any of the right clay anywhere. The formula was confusing, and the firing techniques were just beyond their skill level.

The mystery lingered until an 18th century alchemist tried his hand. In Meissen, Germany, 19-year-old Johann Friedrich Bottger was trying to turn lead into gold for king of Poland. Of course Bottger failed, which landed him in prison. There, his interests shifted from producing gold to producing porcelain.

With the support of porcelain-infatuated August the Strong, Johann found the right clay high in the Alps, and August gave him a constant supply.

With hard work and little bit of of luck, Johann discovered the right ratio of clay and other materials to make pure white porcelain. And he built a kiln that could reach temperatures that matched those of the Chinese kilns.

For a while, only tiny items like porcelain tiles and other small trinkets came out of their kiln. It was all they could do, but they were still the best items available in Europe.

Around the same time of Johann’s tests, Pere d’Entrecolles, a Jesuit priest, made his way to Chinas Jingdezhen. This is where the worlds most amazing china tea sets were made. After some time studying, he published two books detailing the process of making Jingdezhen porcelain. Before long, factories making porcelain were set up across Europe.

This may have been one of the earliest acts of industrial espionage!

D. Cheng has studied Chinese history and handicrafts such as Chinese tea sets for years. Once in a while, he endorses skilled Chinese craftsmen. See samples of quality Chinese tea sets.