0.02LiNbO(3)-0.98{(1 - x)BiScO3-xPbTiO(3)} (2LN-BS-xPT) ceramics near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were investigated. MPB region of 2LN-BS-xPT ceramics was identified to be in the composition of 0.62 < x a parts per thousand currency sign 0.64. The coexistence of the tetragonal domain structure and a polar microdomain structure was observed by transmission electron microscope for x = 0.64. It is found that 2LN-BS-xPT ceramics (x = 0.64) showed good piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties with piezoelectric constant d (33) about 505 pC/N, planar electromechanical coupling factors k (p) about 0.47, and remnant polarization P (r) about 40 mu C/cm(2), respectively, while T (max) is about similar to 350-400 A degrees C. The high-temperature relaxation behavior was also studied in 2LN-BS-xPT ceramics. Effects of thermal depoling on the piezoelectric properties of 2LN-BS-xPT ceramics indicated good thermal stability before 300 A degrees C for x = 0.62 and 0.64.