Asymmetric　porous　cordierite　ceramic　membranes　were　fabricated　by　phase　inversion　tape　casting　method.　It　is　shown　that　the　membranes　consist　of　a　relatively　dense　skin　layer　on　the　top,　a　sponge　layer　at　the　bottom　and　a　finger-like　layer　in　the　middle.　The　membranes　have　a　hierarchical　pore　structure,　where　macrovoids　(denoted　as　dozens-micron-sized　(DMS)　pores)　are　present　in　the　finger-like　layer　and　micron-sized　(MS)　pores　are　located　in　the　skin　layer,　sponge　layer　and　the　wall　of　macrovoids.　After　surface　silylation　by　post-grafting　with　1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane　(FAS),　the　sample　with　a　starting　powder/polyethersulfone　(PESf)　weight　ratio　of　9　(M　-　4)　becomes　hydrophobic,　with　a　water　contact　angle　of　150　degrees.　At　a　NaCl　concentration　of　3.5　wt%,　a　feed　rate　of　18L/h　and　a　feed　temperature　of　80　degrees　C,　the　hydrophobic　M　-　4　membrane　exhibits　a　water　permeate　flux　of　22.33　kg/m(2)h,　which　is　considerably　larger　than　that　of　the　membranes　prepared　by　dry　pressing　method　previously,　and　a　salt　rejection　of　99.9%.　The　higher　water　permeate　flux　is　attributed　to　the　much　lower　transport　resistance　of　water　vapor　in　the　membranes　of　the　present　work.