When speaking of oriental porcelain we normally associate the name "Imari" with Japan, but there is also a Chinese Imari. Production of Japanese style decoration began at Jingdezhen in the early 18th century. Jingdezhen, historically, being the great centre of Chinese porcelain production.

For over 2,000 years, Jingdezhenhas beenknown as the Porcelain Capital of the world. Originally known as Xinpin, its name was changed when theJingde Emperor(1004-1007) of the Southern Song dynasty, decreed all the pieces made for the Imperialcourt wereto be marked 'made in the Jingde period.

During the long Ming and Qing dynasties, porcelain production reached new levels of refinement and kilns were set up to cater exclusively to the need of the imperial house. The imperial porcelain was so exquisite that it was described as being "as white as jade, as bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, with a sound as clear as a bell". Today, Jingdezhen remainsthe national Chinese center for porcelain production.

The Japanese,circa 1700,were the first to produce thecombination of enamel colours which typify the Imari pallet, underglaze blue, red and gilt, and occasionally green enamels.

Dutch traders nowhada monopoly on the insatiable Europeandemand for porcelain. The first large orders placed with the Japanese kilns atArita by the Dutch East India Company in1656. With trade peaking in the late 17th century It sooncame to the attention of the vast Chinese Imperialkilnsat Jingdezhen, that Japanese Imari porcelain was in high demand in Europe andpromptly began to produce Imari wares in competition with the Japanese.