China. First porcelains. Made during the Han Dynasty. The recipe was kept secret for 19 centuries, until 1704, when it was replicated in Europe. It involves a particular form of kaolin and several other ingredients, such as quartz and feldspar, which creates a type of white clay. The mixture is then kiln-fired to temperatures of up to 1300°C, when the mixture takes on a solid, glassy appearance with a perfectly polished surface free of imperfections. Once cooled, the porcelain is flawless, free of imperfections, and much more robust than traditional ceramics, which are doomed by tiny imperfections and are likely to shatter into a thousand pieces.
