At the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Institute in Jiangxi province, east China, a groundbreaking “gene bank” of ancient ceramics is helping decode the technological and cultural heritage of Chinese porcelain. The facility houses rows of transparent drawers within sleek grey cabinets, each storing ceramic samples dating from the late Tang Dynasty (618–907) to the Republic of China (1912–1949). Nearby, robots work steadily, producing new ceramic specimens for ongoing research.
“This ceramic gene bank is something archaeologists once only dreamed of,” said Weng Yanjun, head of the institute. In the past, identifying and authenticating unearthed artifacts relied heavily on expert intuition and experience. The gene bank has transformed this process, offering a standardized repository and a unified data system to support scientific authentication and academic research, according to People’s Daily.
Jingdezhen, known as China’s ancient porcelain capital, boasts an extraordinary ceramic legacy. Since the late 1970s, the institute, formerly the Jingdezhen Institute of Ceramic Archaeology, has unearthed over 20 million kiln relics. These include significant quantities of imperial porcelain shards from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911), meticulously documented and representing a rich diversity of types, foundational elements of the gene bank’s authority.
In June 2022, the institute partnered with Tsinghua University, the Palace Museum in Beijing, and the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences to create standardized ceramic reference samples and a knowledge-graph-based database.
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“We’ve built 3D digital models of representative specimens alongside their reconstructed forms, including archaeological records, physical data, condition reports, and analytical results,” Weng explained. Holding a shard from a late Tang celadon bowl, he demonstrated how a simple QR code scan provides detailed information on form, clay composition, glaze, decoration, and dimensions. Over 3,000 samples have been digitized so far, generating nearly 1.2 million ceramic data points.
“The gene bank harnesses science and technology to decode the knowledge embedded in ancient ceramics and apply it to modern innovation,” Weng said. It now serves multiple purposes, from historical reconstruction and revival of traditional craftsmanship to artifact authentication, cultural tourism, and international cultural exchange.
Recently, a Dutch collector consulted the gene bank to identify a dragon-patterned porcelain plate. Despite extensive testing in European laboratories, its origin had remained uncertain. Using 17 comparative samples from the Ming Xuande to Qing Guangxu periods, researchers determined it to be a product of a late-Qing folk kiln, a finding Weng likened to a “porcelain DNA test.”
In collaboration with Peking University, the institute has also advanced research on blue-and-white porcelain from the Yuan and Qing dynasties (1271–1911). Submicron-scale analysis confirmed the coexistence of imported and domestic raw materials starting in the Xuande period, a major breakthrough for ceramic studies.
Gene bank data has also enabled faithful reproductions of iconic artifacts, such as the Ming Yongle Blue-and-White Cup with Loop Handle, providing precise insights into shape, decoration, glaze chemistry, and inscriptions. “Recreating ancient porcelain techniques is only possible with a solid data foundation,” Weng emphasized.
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To support creative industries, the institute has released open-source data on pieces like the Ming-era duck-shaped ceramic incense burner, “Ducktor Sui.” Its structural and chemical attributes have inspired a range of innovative cultural products.
“By opening access to the gene bank, we encourage public engagement and support the creative transformation of traditional culture,” Weng concluded. “In doing so, we breathe new life into the timeless art of Chinese porcelain.”
