One Day, Ships from Afar Arrive: A Lineage of Fujian Maritime-Trade Ceramics in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Abstract In this article, I will investigate the evolution of Zhangzhou and Dehua blue and white ceramics as shaped by globalization and maritime trade during the long eighteenth century. Zhangzhou ware, prominent in the late Ming and early Qing periods, featured bold, transcultural designs such as maritime imagery, and Qur'anic verses, influenced by diverse overseas patrons from Southeast Asia, especially the Muslim patronage. These reflected the vibrant maritime exchanges of the time. The Qing sea ban (1647) curtailed Zhangzhou ware's prominence, paving the way for the rise of Dehua blue-and-white ware in the eighteenth century. Unlike its predecessor, Dehua ceramics adhered to classic Chinese motifs, advocating Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist ideas as well as ancestral worship, coinciding with the growth of diasporic Chinese communities across Southeast Asia. This research, based on museum collections and analysis of typology, motifs, and cultural influences, reveals how shifting trade networks and cultural identities shaped ceramic production. The study contributes to an understanding of the interplay between global commerce and local artistry in Fujian, revealing the broader implications of maritime trade on material culture during the long eighteenth century.