Before a ceramic is glazed or fired, the object is named as pi (坯). It is important to have a wheel during the manufacturing process. The usage of the wheel in making ceramics can be traced back to the late Neolithic Period. Before the Tang Dynasty, both of the northern and southern parts of China used the wood wheel. However, the northern part changed to stony wheel starting from the Tang Dynasty. Apart from a wheel, a lot of specific equipment was also required in the process of manufacturing Chinese ceramics. For example, a wheel stick(輪棍) is required to keep moving the wheel. During the process of wheel-throwing (拉坯), workers have to keep stirring the Zuo Shui Penzi (作水盆子). Cicu Zi (瓷促子) and Shigua Zi(石刮子) are used in putting and shaping the clay in manufacturing respectively. Bamboo stick(竹棍) is also needed to manage the size, height and diameter of the pi. There are items called pottery tray (陶托盤) and wooden thick stick(作板子). Their functions are putting the pi after finishing wheel-throwing. The size of the object decides which tray the workers would pick. Normally, the wooden thick stick was for the pi that in small or medium size.

So, what are the steps when it comes to ceramics manufacturing? To begin with, workers put the prepared clay in the centre of the wheel with a great force. They will use the wheel stick to keep the wheel moving and put some water in it. The shape of the pi is being processed by using the techniques such as Tani (拓泥), Baoni (抱泥), Tini (提泥), Runi (擩泥), Shini (使泥) and Shi Guazi (使刮子). If the shape and size of the object are both ready, workers will remove it from the wheel carefully, and put it on either the wooden thick stick or the pottery tray. This is because they have to be dried before moving to the next step. In addition, it is essential to know that there are two methods in wheel-throwing includes Ding Nizi(頂泥子) and Mo Nizi (抹泥子). The former one is used in making taller objects such as bottle, jug and can. The latter one is used in making the objects that have flatter surfaces such as bowl, plate and tray.

Last but not least, some of the ceramic manufacturers usually have the step of fettling (修坯) when the pi is semi-dried. This process is important because it allows the bottom of the object to become more beautiful after it is taken out from the wheel. This step can ensure the thickness as well as adjust any minor mistakes on it. After these steps, workers have to wait until the pi is fully dried. Then they will start to glaze, which is our next passage!