Underglaze blue and underglaze red are wares had their beginnings in the Yüan dynasty (1271-1368) and were major products of the Ching-te-chen kilns. These wares were made by first sketching cobalt blue or copper red on the molded clay, over which a transparent glaze was applied and then fired at a high temperature.

Besides monochrome red and white glazed ceramics, the most common imperial wares of the Hung-wu (1368-1398) era in the early Ming were underglaze blue and underglaze red. Their styles still retain those of the Yüan dynasty and are often large in size. Following the Hung-wu period came the Yung-lo (1403-1424) and Hsüan-te (1426-1435) reigns, the golden age for underglaze blue wares. In terms of shape, glaze, and decorative design, works of this era are superior to those from the late Yüan and early Ming in their beauty, spirit, and liveliness

The production of underglaze blue wares in the Ming dynasty, after passing through an initial phase in the Hung-wu reign and reaching a golden age in the Yung-lo and Hsüan-te reigns, was further refined during the Ch'eng-hua (1465-1487) era. On the whole, underglaze blue became the primary product of Ching-te-chen kilns. On white porcelain are clear glaze and intricate designs, and the underglaze blue of each reign features different materials as well as varying shades and intensities of colors. With delicate and clever drawings as well as realistic and abstract expressions of artistry, the porcelain of each reign may very well be considered a paragon of underglaze ware in its own right.

Under the transparent glaze, these underglaze blue pieces, regardless of their shapes or decorations, were highly innovative, and many of them, such as the Yung-lo and Hsüan-te celestial globular vase, covered jar, large stem bowl, small stem cup, and stem cup have become archetypes in the field of Chinese ceramics. Such designs as the dragon-and-phoenix motif, poetic imagery, Eight Buddhist emblems among lotus flowers, and portrayals of children at play all became models for later imitations by artisans at the imperial kilns

During the middle Ming dynasty, the underglaze blue of the Ch'eng-hua and Hung-chih reigns (from 1488 to 1505) was made with cobalt from Lo-p'ing in Kiangsi Province , which was called "p'ing-teng " or "p'o-t'ang" blue. The colors are lighter and more delicate, with a grayish tinge to the blue and very appealing to the eye. The clear and bright underglaze blue of the Cheng-te reign (1506-1521) was, on the other hand, made with cobalt from Jui-chou in Kiangsi Province , known as "shih-tzu" blue. It has grayer overtones, and its decorations are drawn with large, free strokes. With the Cheng-te Emperor's belief in Islam, imperial wares often carried Arabic inscriptions, thereby adding an exotic foreign element to them.

During the Yüan dynasty (1271-1368), as part of the Mongol empire, the Ching-te-chen kilns in China produced a large quantity of underglaze blue porcelains, fusing imperial styles with a Near Eastern flair in response to the needs of Muslims. At the beginning of the Ming dynasty, the Yung-lo Emperor ordered Cheng Ho to explore the western seas in order to expand ties with other lands, reaching the Islamic world among others. Porcelain thus became an important item of exchange and trade.

The shapes and decorative designs on porcelains during the Yung-lo and Hsüan-te reigns often exhibit a Near Eastern style. In the collection of the National Palace Museum , many of the underglaze blue ceramics from this period feature shapes and designs influenced by Islamic metalwork, reflecting the customs of that time