The mechanism of formation of perovskite phase and the dielectric properties of PZMN[Pb(Zn, Mg)1/3Nb2/3O3] ceramics were examined using two different types of the columbite precursors, (Mg, Zn)Nb2O6 (MZN) and MgNb2O6＋ZnNb2O6 (MN＋ZN). The formatin of perovskite phase in PbO＋MN＋ZN system is characterized by an initial rapid formation of Mg-rich perovskite phase, followed by a sluggish formation of Zn-rich perovskite phase. On the other hand, thepyrochlore/perovskite transformation in the PbO＋MZN system proceeded uniformly with a spatial homogeneity. The degree of diffuseness of the rhombohedral/cubic phase transitionis higher in the PbO＋MN＋ZN system than in the PbO＋MZN specimen, indicating a broadened compositional distributjion of the B-site catons (Nb+5, Zn+2, Mg+2) in the PbO＋MN＋ZN system.