[Image above] Known for its use in dinnerware, traditional Chinese porcelain also has been used to create instruments, a fact that recently captured the attention of the China National Traditional Orchestra. Credit: Getty Images Signature
Wood, brass, metal, and plastic commonly serve as materials for instruments in the music industry—but what about ceramics and glass? Perhaps surprisingly, there are some lesser-known instruments made from these materials.
Clay-based ocarinas, xuns, and similar wind instruments have been found throughout ancient cultures of Asia, Africa, Europe, and even the Americas. The sound of wind instruments is determined by how the air is shaped, and thus the material from which the instrument is made plays a much less significant role. This fact has allowed people to create wind instruments from even more unusual materials, such as 3D-printed concrete, for example.
On the other hand, materials can impart a unique sound when used to create string and other instruments that rely on the instrument’s body to generate the sound that we hear. In the mid-1700s, Ben Franklin became enamored by “singing musical glasses,” in which performers used wetted fingers to create sounds as they slid over the rim of a glass. With the help of glassblowers in London, he created the glass armonica, which was made up of glass bowls of varying sizes connected horizontally to emit various pitches. It could be played in a similar fashion as the piano, which soon took over in popularity.
Glass has also been used as the base of string instruments such as the harp, violin, or cello. Additionally, in recent years, glass has also been used for guitar slides, necks, or even the entire base of the guitar.
Porcelain is another ceramic material that has found use in the music industry. Its use ties into the history of Jingdezhen, the Porcelain Capital of the world.
The city of Jingdezhen is located in southeastern China in the Jiangxi province. Fine ware for official use started to be produced in the city as early as 6th century CE, and by the 12th century, the city was well-established in the art of ceramics and had significantly increased the amount of porcelain they were exporting.
The city’s porcelain industry skyrocketed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) when their fine ware was adopted by the imperial household and the government overall. The development of porcelain in the area helped advance and inspire the development of the material in other countries.
In addition to dinnerware, porcelain was used to create instruments such as chimes, drums, erhu (Chinese fiddle), and flutes. Due to porcelain’s durability and resistance to chipping, it worked well as an instrument in addition to its everyday duties as dishes, cups, tiles, and other decorative objects.
The Jingdezhen porcelain instruments have remained a part of the music industry in modern Chinese culture, as demonstrated by the recent project by the China National Traditional Orchestra.
According to a China Daily article, musicians of the China National Traditional Orchestra traveled to Jingdezhen about two years ago hoping to get inspired by the porcelain instruments.
“These instruments are valued not only for their musical properties but also for their artistic craftsmanship. They represent a fusion of Jingdezhen’s porcelain artistry with traditional Chinese musical instruments,” says Cui Suxiang, deputy mayor of Jingdezhen, in the article. “The porcelain material contributes to a unique tonal quality, often characterized by a clear, resonant, and sometimes delicate sound that is distinct from wooden or metal instruments.”
In September 2024, the China National Traditional Orchestra signed a strategic agreement with the city of Jingdezhen to foster collaboration and spark inspiration using the porcelain instruments. Their goals are to work together on performances, music creation, and musician training, blending traditional culture with modern music elements.
The collaboration comes at a time when Jingdezhen is “brimming with youthful energy, especially young entrepreneurs, artists, and tourists,” says Zhao Cong, a veteran pipa (four-stringed Chinese lute) player, who is president of the China National Traditional Orchestra, in the China Daily article.
You can hear the chime-like sounds of porcelain instruments in the video below, which features a performance of “Right Here Waiting for You in Jingdezhen.”
