The origins of porcelain can be traced back to China, including the Shang, Eastern Han, and Tang Dynasties. Early porcelain pieces were highly prized, and eventually, the craft of creating it spread into other parts of East Asia. By the Ming Dynasty (from 1368 AD to 1644 AD), porcelain wares started to be exported to Europe, in particular, highly coveted blue-and-white wares. Japanese and European porcelain then followed.