Located in the middle of Fujian province, Te-hua is a small county in the southwest of Quanzhou. The lush forest and fine quality porcelain clay make Te-hua porcelain very famous. It is said that Te-hua porcelain began in Song dynasty, but it was found to be started in Shang and Zhou periods based on the new archeological findings. The most famous type of Te-hua porcelain is its ceramic white ware. The ceramic white ware is as white as polished jade, and its appearance is crystal. It has won the good reputation as "Chinese white". Before Tang Dynasty, Te-hua porcelain was mainly for local people of everyday use. With the development of Port of Quanzhou during Song and Yuan Dynasties, Te-hua porcelain started to be sold to the countries along the famous "Maritime Silk Road". As one of the largest exporting kilns in South China, Te-hua porcelain had a large significance in cultural interaction between ancient China and other countries. Te-hua porcelain has been listed among the first batch of national nonmaterial cultural heritage in 2006 by State Council.
