The color of excellence

Dedication of one man sees translucent glaze of Qingbai porcelain make a comeback, Yang Feiyue reports.

If Qinghua (blue and white) porcelain is the crown jewel of porcelain capital Jingdezhen in East China's Jiangxi province, Qingbai (bluish white) porcelain is its hidden gem. Though their names may be similar, the finished results are vastly different.

A far cry from the vibrantly contrasted coloring of Qinghua porcelain, Qingbai porcelain has a more reserved quality.

"It is blue as the sky, bright as jade, thin as paper, and resonant like a chime," says Wang Shangbin, who for decades, has been committed to restoring the Qingbai porcelain, which dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).