Qingbai
/ˈtʃɪŋˌbaɪ/noun
A type of Chinese porcelain characterized by a pale blue-white glaze, produced especially during the Song and Yuan periods.
Did you know?Qingbai ware was sometimes called “影青” (*yingqing*), meaning “shadow blue,” because its extremely pale glaze could appear blue only in reflected light.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
清白
“Clear and white; pure, unblemished, or innocent”
Northern Song period
Chinese
青白
“Blue-white, describing the distinctive pale glaze of fine southern Chinese ceramics”
11th–12th Century
Chinese
影青
““Shadow blue,” another name emphasizing the glaze’s subtle bluish cast”
13th–14th Century
Chinese
青白瓷
“Blue-white porcelain or stoneware”
20th Century
English
qingbai
“An English art-historical term for this Chinese ceramic tradition”
Modern English
English
qingbai ware
“Chinese porcelain with a pale blue-white glaze”