Li Yanxun Reawakens Tang Sancai for the Modern World

When 48 glaze test tiles shattered in the kiln during his 103rd trial, Li Yanxun clutched a mineral fragment his young daughter had picked up and smiled. The willow-green shard was set to resurrect the Tang Dynasty’s once-lost color spectrum. In 2019, Li declared war on Tang Sancai tradition — raising kiln temperatures by 300°C to transform fragile lead-based glazes into sturdy porcelain bodies; cracking the so-called pink problem by substituting rare earth elements for gold to achieve a carmine hue; and turning delicate Tang Sancai ceramics into durable pieces like countertops and light fixtures. Through the alchemy of his 1,200°C kiln fire, Li Yanxun completed a genetic rewrite of Tang Sancai — changing its course forever.