The word "celadon" in Western usage comes from the French pastoral play "L'Astrée" (1607–1627), whose shepherd character Céladon wore grey-green ribbons. The Chinese and Koreans had different names for these glazes — Chinese called them "青瓷" (qīngcí, blue-green porcelain). Goryeo Dynasty celadon (12th–14th century Korea) is considered among the greatest achievements in ceramic history.

Jade-like, serene, and ancient. Celadon carries the psychological qualities of the material it references — translucent, cool, and associated with East Asian aesthetic philosophy. It suggests refinement, restraint, and the kind of beauty that reveals itself slowly rather than announcing itself immediately. One of the few colours with a specific ceramic tradition behind it.

Chinese celadon ceramics were so prized in medieval Islamic courts that they were believed to detect poison — celadon bowls were placed on royal tables because it was believed they would change colour if poisoned food was served. This belief made celadon the most commercially valuable ceramic in the medieval trade world. Korean Goryeo celadon techniques were considered so advanced that Korean potters were captured by invaders specifically to maintain ceramic production.