瓷器是中國古代最偉大的發明之一,而浙江又是瓷器的故鄉,從夏商時期創燒原始瓷器,經歷周至東漢初期的發展,在東漢中期前后創燒了成熟瓷器,并由此迎來了中國瓷器發展的又一波高峰,以致唐代之前的浙江制瓷史,幾乎等同于中國的制瓷史;而后大量輸出到海外市場,成為絲綢之路上最大宗商品。
一部陶瓷史,半部在浙江。
Ceramic was one of greatest inventions of ancient China. Zhejiang was a birthplace of ceramic. In the Xia and the Shang dynasties, Zhejiang produced proto-porcelain. Thanks to the development of proto-porcelain from the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty to the early period of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhejiang was able to produce fine porcelain in mature technology in the middle period of the Eastern Han, which was a peak in the history of ceramic history of China. Porcelain making in Zhejiang before the Tang Dynasty is considered adequate and comprehensive enough to represent nearly the whole history of porcelain making of the nation. After the birth of the Tang, porcelain was shipped in large quantities from China to overseas markets. In fact, porcelain was the biggest commodity on the Marine Silk Road. It is correct to say Zhejiang accounts for half of the ceramic history of China.