The emergence of pottery and porcelain is accompanied by the development of productivity and the progress of human civilization.

As early as ten thousand years ago, human beings entered the Neolithic age. Owing to the advance of productivity, the former hunting was gradually transformed into farming, and the gathering was turned into planting (primitive agriculture). The source of human food was further enriched. In daily life, people need to boil their drinking water, cook the meat and grain, and store the extra food. All of these require corrosion-resistant, convenient and suitable utensils, and pottery came into being.

There are complete unearthed pottery wares and related records in the sites of Banpo culture, Yangshao culture, Majiayao culture and Hongshan culture of China.

Porcelain is a great invention of the ancient Chinese laboring people. Hard porcelain appeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty 3,000 years ago; while porcelain in the full sense was formed 1900 years ago during the Eastern Han Dynasty. After the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern, Sui and Tang Dynasties, the porcelain reached its peak in texture, shape, craftsmanship, glaze color, variety, output and the number of kilns in Song Dynasty.

Porcelain was introduced to the Korean Peninsula 800 years ago and 400 years ago to Japan; With the advent of the Great Navigation Era, porcelain was introduced to Europe around the 17th century.