Kangxi Porcelain Discovered in Shipwreck Near Indonesia’s Bintan Island

Discovery and Market Appearance

In 2013, blue and white porcelain wares began surfacing in Singapore’s antique markets. By 2014, large quantities had reached Singapore, Jakarta, China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The bulk of the artifacts consisted of blue and white cups and saucers, alongside plates, bowls, vases, jars, covered boxes, and ceramic figurines. These items exhibit characteristics typical of Kangxi-period porcelain, with a range and style similar to those found in the Ca Mau shipwreck.

An Indonesian dealer, familiar with Chinese characters, reportedly came across a broken piece inscribed with Kangxi Gengyin Zhong Xia (康熙庚寅仲夏), dating it to 1710 A.D. Unfortunately, the fragment was not acquired due to its damaged state. This dating is significant as it bridges the historical gap between the Vung Tau wreck (1690s) and the Ca Mau wreck (1723–1735).

The Wreck: Location and Historical Context

Investigations traced the origin of these artifacts to a shipwreck southeast of Bintan Island, Indonesia. The wreck is believed to be that of a large Chinese junk, approximately 100 meters in length. This location aligns with historical Chinese trade routes used for commerce with Southeast Asia.

The ship’s likely destination was Batavia (modern-day Jakarta), a major trading hub for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Batavia distributed goods such as tea, silk, and porcelain from China, as well as spices from the Indonesian archipelago.

Batavia (modern day Jakarta) 1780 A.D

Chinese Junk Trade and the Hong Merchants

By the late 17th century, Chinese junks were operated by wealthy merchants with connections to the Guangdong governor or military officials. These merchants, known as hong (行) merchants, were granted the right to handle foreign trade. In 1720, they formed an association to regulate commerce and enforce conduct codes for foreign traders in Canton (modern-day Guangzhou).

Notable families in the trade included Zhang (张), Ye (叶), Cai (蔡), Qiu (邱), Yan (颜), Chen (陈), and Pan (潘). A seal marked 潘廷采印 found in the Ca Mau wreck suggests that the Pan family may have operated that vessel.

Canton (Modern Day Guangzhou)

European Demand and the VOC’s Role

Although the VOC halted official porcelain purchases in the 1690s due to oversupply, private merchants continued shipping over 2 million pieces annually to Batavia. These merchants did not source porcelain directly from Guangzhou but relied on Chinese traders to transport goods to Batavia.

Market Distribution

60% of the porcelain was sold within Asia
40% was exported to Europe, driven by:
- Tea/Coffee Culture: By the early 18th century, European demand for tea sets (cups, saucers, teapots) surged, with over 1,500 coffeehouses in London alone.
- Dining Ware: Bowls and plates for everyday use.
- Decorative Items: Vases, jars, and figurines for display.

European Fascination with Porcelain

Royal Collections: Queen Mary of England (wife of William III) popularized porcelain displays in palaces, influencing European trends.
Interior Design: Architect Daniel Marot, serving William III, incorporated porcelain into engravings of wall sections and chimneypieces.
Cultural Impact: Writer Daniel Defoe noted porcelain’s rise as a status symbol, describing homes “grievously” overfilled with porcelain collections.

Porcelain Cabinet at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin

Daniel Marot's Print

Analysis of the Porcelain Cargo in the Wreck

The wreck yielded a diverse range of porcelain items, categorized as follows:

1. Cups and Saucers

Saucers: 8–12 cm in diameter
Cups: 6.5–7.5 cm
Types:
- Fine, thin-walled: Mold-shaped with intricate designs.
- Thick-walled: More utilitarian in style.
- Batavian ware: Thickly potted with dark brown glaze.

2. Cups Without Saucers

High-quality cups with fine painting, often lacking saucers.

3. Teapots

Many teapots were found stacked inside large blue-and-white jars (~60 cm tall).
Four common designs were recovered.

4. Garniture Sets

Beakers and lidded vases (18–30 cm tall), often in sets of 3, 5, or 7.
Decorations ranged from European-style cartouches to traditional Chinese motifs.
Some were enhanced with overglaze details, though enamels have degraded over time.

5. Large Jars and Gu Vases

56–60 cm tall.
Rare finds include depictions of Dutch ships, European merchants, and Southeast Asian crew.
Some jars illustrate Chinese merchants on horseback and European traders in Canton’s foreign quarter.
Common motifs include birds, floral patterns, and landscapes.

6. Miniature Vases

5.5–7 cm tall, likely intended for European porcelain cabinets.

7. Bowls

European Market Bowls:
- Four types, each 15 cm in diameter.
- A brown-glazed exterior version measuring 18 cm.
- Floral designs in 15 cm and 18 cm sizes.
Islamic Market Bowls:
- Decorated with lotus, chrysanthemum, or lingzhi fungus motifs.
Southeast Asian Market Bowls:
- Roughly potted, likely from Fujian or Guangdong.

8. Plates

Various sizes: 14 cm, 21 cm, 27 cm, and a rare 35 cm variant.
Mostly from Jingdezhen, finely potted and thin-walled.

9. Covered Boxes

Primarily floral motifs, intended for the Southeast Asian market.
Types:
- Blue-and-white sets of five.
- Covered boxes (9.5–10 cm diameter).
- Tall covered jars in three sizes, likely for the Islamic market.

Other Notable Finds

Melon-shaped Jarlets: 6–10 cm in diameter, some missing covers.
Blue and White Writing Set: A rare tray with three square vessels (ink well, pen holder, and sander).
Ewer Set: Includes two ewers and a third spoutless vessel, likely for Europe.
Stem Dishes: 10 cm diameter, well-painted with human figures.
Stem Cups: 5 cm diameter, pained with floral motif.
Kendis: Well-decorated blue and white Islamic market vessels.
Coloured Lead-Glazed Figurines: Many severely degraded; relatively few found.

Rare Finds

Monochrome Vessels: Celadon-glazed vases, ge-glazed jars.
Yixing Teapots: Only three recovered, possibly crew belongings.
Blue and White Ribbed Jar: A finely decorated solitary find.
Frog Figurine: Large white biscuit form, similar but larger than Ca Mau wreck finds.

Concluding Remarks

The discovery of the Kangxi-period porcelain shipwreck near Bintan Island provides significant insight into the intricate networks of Chinese trade during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The cargo composition reflects not only the sophistication of Chinese porcelain production but also the global demand for these goods, particularly in Europe and Southeast Asia. The presence of high-quality blue-and-white porcelain—ranging from everyday dining ware to elaborate decorative items—confirms the enduring appeal of Chinese craftsmanship and its adaptation to diverse market preferences.

Furthermore, the shipwreck serves as a missing link between the Vung Tau (1690s) and Ca Mau (1723–1735) wrecks, bridging an important historical gap in maritime trade studies. The dating evidence provided by the Kangxi Gengyin Zhong Xia (康熙庚寅仲夏) inscription further supports the timeline, solidifying the wreck’s placement within the Kangxi era and highlighting the scale of Chinese trade activities during this period.

The artifacts found onboard also reinforce the role of Chinese junks and the hong merchants in facilitating trade with Southeast Asia and Europe. The intricate system of commerce, regulated by the Qing dynasty, relied heavily on these merchant groups to navigate foreign markets, ensuring a steady supply of goods despite fluctuations in VOC purchasing policies.

Moreover, the European fascination with Chinese porcelain—evident in the royal collections, interior design trends, and writings of the time—illustrates the cultural impact of these trade goods. From Queen Mary’s elaborate porcelain displays to Daniel Marot’s architectural engravings, Chinese porcelain became a symbol of wealth and refinement, influencing design trends across the continent.

The recovered cargo, including rare finds such as large jars depicting Dutch ships and European traders in Canton, further emphasizes the deep interconnectedness of global commerce. These pieces offer visual documentation of early interactions between European traders and Chinese merchants, underscoring the importance of Canton as a central hub for foreign trade. The depiction of Southeast Asian sailors on Dutch ships hints at the complex labor networks that underpinned maritime trade, revealing a more nuanced picture of cross-cultural exchanges.

In conclusion, the Bintan shipwreck is a remarkable archaeological find that not only enriches our understanding of Qing-era maritime trade but also sheds light on the broader economic and cultural exchanges of the early 18th century. The diverse range of artifacts recovered provides a tangible link to historical trade routes, offering valuable material evidence of the dynamic relationships between China, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Further research and conservation efforts will undoubtedly deepen our understanding of this fascinating period in global history.

Cups and Saucers

Interestingly, there are also small quantity of cups that do not come with saucers. They are of good quality with fine painting.

There is also large quantity of with height about 5.5 to 7 cm. They are intended for decorative purposes. An example of how such miniature vases were displayed could be seen in the second photo of the P.


Small set with saucer (8 cm Dia.)	Small set with saucer ( 10 cm Dia.)

Small set with saucer (10 cm Dia.)

Above cups (8.5 cm dia) do come with matching saucers which are bigger than 12 in dia.








Beakers and vases decorated with motifs organised in cartouches and panels. Typical composition preferred in Europe. The beakers and vases with matching decoration are usually grouped into set of 3,5 or 7 to form garniture.

Beaker and vase with Chinese taste decorative composition

Example with overglaze enamels degraded and hardly noticeable

Vase with Mythical Animal. This type is not part of garniture set.


Big Jar with scene depicting a foreigner in a house outside the gate wall of Canton. They were forbidden from entering the city of Canton then. Their movements were closely monitered and the trading activities were carried out outside the wall city where The Thirteen Hongs (广东十三行) were located.

Interesting Jar depicting foreign traders with attendants, probably meeting the Chinese merchant who arrived in horse driven carriage.

Big Gu Vase depicting similar decoration as above Jar.

		Big Gu Vase depicting scene of foreign traders and Southeast Asian native crew on the ship.


Gu Vase depicting bird/floral and scholars in landscape decoration.

Gu Vase depicting warrior on horse, phoenix in flight and lady in bullock driven carriage.

Big lidded jar depicting bird/floral decoration.





Four types of bowl (15 cm in Dia.) intended for the European market

Bowl with brown glaze on the exterior. This particular type is big with 18 dia. No smaller version available.

Bowls with this floral design come in two sizes, 15 cm and 18cm respectively. Such bowls are most probably also made for the European market.



Bowls decorated with lotus, chrysanthemum or lingzhi fungus which are most probably intended for the Islamic markets.

Bowls which are roughly potted and most probably made in Fujian or Guangdong and intended for the Southeast Asian market


Cover missing from blue and white melon-shaped jarlets. (10 cm Dia.)

Above melon Lidded jarlets (6 cm Dia.)


An interesting rare item is the blue and white writing set that consists of a tray which houses 3 square vessels: an ink well, a pen holder and a sander.


Another interesting set consists of 2 ewers and a 3rd ewer-shaped vessel but without the spout. They fit nicely in the tray.


Stem dishes (Dia. 10 cm) with well-painted figural decoration.

Stem cups (10 cm Dia.) with floral decoration.

Kendis with floral decoration likely made for the Islamic market.


Jingdezhen-made Lead glaze figurines


Jingdezhen-made lead glaze boat with fisherman







Above type of plates have a dia. of about 21 cm

Above two types of Kraak plate have a dia. of about 27 cm. The one on the left has a bigger version of about 35 cm in dia. The one on the right has a smaller version of about 21 cm in dia.

Above plate has a dia. of 27 cm.


Above type of blue and white cover boxes come in set of 5




Above types of cover box have a dia. of 9.5-10 cm in dia.