kaolin, also called china clay, soft white clay that is an essential ingredient in the manufacture of china and porcelain and is widely used in the making of paper, rubber, paint, and many other products. Kaolin is named after the hill in China (Kao-ling) from which it was mined for centuries.

Porcelain is the creative fruit of the working people of ancient China. Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, porcelain has been exported worldwide. It promotes economic and cultural exchange between China and the outside world, and profoundly influences the traditional culture and lifestyle of people from other countries.

In de Waal’s hands, porcelain contains everything: power, beauty, greed, destiny. It also holds love, passion, and desire.

Porcelain changed China by 1) improving quality of life, 2) catalyzing industrial progress, 3) promoting international trade, 4) generating prosperity, and 5) making China famous. China made porcelain strong and attractive, and china in turn made imperial China stronger and more attractive.

China
Hard-paste porcelain was invented in China, and also used in Japanese porcelain, and most of the finest quality porcelain wares are in this material.

One of the ingredients of porcelain clay is kaolin clay. Kaolin is a primary clay mineral and as such, it is very pure. Secondary clays are carried from their point of origin by water and wind and pick up impurities.

The word porcelain is derived from porcellana, used by Marco Polo to describe the pottery he saw in China. The three main types of porcelain are true, or hard-paste, porcelain; artificial, or soft-paste, porcelain; and bone china.

By developing many different kinds of glazes and built kilns that could reach the hight temperatures, a new pottery called porcelain was created. The earliest type of porcelain was produced during the Han (206 BC – 220 AD) dynasty.

Chinese porcelain was highly prized in the West and in the Islamic World even after Europeans found out how to replicate it themselves in the 1700s. The artwork was exotic, the colors were bright and beautiful, the artistic pieces were durable and useful, and the pieces were comparatively inexpensive.

Limoges porcelain – the gold standard of porcelain – is one of the best and most sought-after fine chinas that Europe has to offer. Bright white, delicate, transparent, and yet extremely robust, this porcelain offers both practicality and rich porcelain art.

Like all other ceramics, the process to make porcelain is simple. Clay is mixed with additives, shaped and then fired in a kiln. The only thing that differs for porcelain is the identities of the constituent materials, the temperature of the kiln and, crucially, the formation of mullite.

Dishes – Plates, bowls, and other fine dinnerware can be made of porcelain, as well. Knick Knacks – Statues, statuettes, figurines, and other knick knacks are quite commonly made from porcelain. Masks – Party masks, or masquerade masks, are often made of porcelain.

Role played by Personal Selling may be discussed as follows: 1 Importance to Businessmen: Personal Selling develops personal relationship with customers to increase demand for company’s products. 2 Importance to Customers: Personal Selling is an important means of selling product to customers viz. 3 Importance to Society:

This is the second features of personal sellingand it means that there is a two-way dialogue between the customers and the sellers in personal selling. The customer will respond in case he has certain objections while the seller will respond with an appropriate solution to customer problems.

The first requirement in personal selling is narrowing down the selling effort to the targeted customers. Prospecting involves developing and following all the leads to identify potential target customers and this requires hard work and proper time management.

Personal selling consists of individual and personal communication with the customers in contrast to the mass and impersonal communication through advertising. Because of this characteristic, personal selling has the advantage of being more flexible in operation.