Culture Insider: How to distinguish doucai, wucai, famille-rose and enamel porcelain

A rare and fine Chenghua doucai chicken cup sold for record HK$281.24 million ($36 million) at a Hong Kong auction last year. [Photo/ artron.net]

Doucai is a variety of decorative porcelain formed by the combination of underglaze blue-and-white and overglaze decoration. Before firing, the design's outline should be painted on the base with blue-and-white, then the painted base should be fired into blue-and-white porcelain, on which the blank of the previously-sketched pattern should be filled with paint in various colors. And then it should be fired again in a low-temperature kiln at about 800 degrees Celsius.

The firing of doucai porcelain dates back to the Chenghua Period of the Ming Dynasty, which is well-known for its doucai. A rare and fine Chenghua doucai chicken cup sold for record HK$281.24 million ($36 million) at a Hong Kong auction last year.