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Step into Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital, where artisans transform simple clay into masterpieces. The Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognizing more than a thousand years of ceramic craftsmanship.

37,084 просмотров • 4 дней назад •via X (Twitter)

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I once thought of Jingdezhen (景德镇) merely as an historic porcelain-producing town, quietly tucked away in the margins of history books. To my surprise, it's not only alive but also thriving with modern flair: A friend of mine recently returned from Jingdezhen, brimming with stories-about a little duck made of broken shards, lovingly restored porcelain factories now taken over by young artists from around the world, and some sixty thousand hand-painting workshops. Listening to these tales, I couldn't help but feel: this city is so worth writing about, even though I've rarely delved into ceramics and seldom write about places I haven't yet seen for myself. Before it became the renowned "Porcelain Capital," Jingdezhen was not particularly noteworthy. Prior to the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), the region remained rather obscure, as the most advanced ceramic workshops were concentrated in China's central plains. That changed dramatically in 1127, when the Northern Song fell to the Jurchens from the north. Waves of skilled artisans migrated southward, bringing Jingdezhen an unprecedented historical opportunity. By the Southern Song (1127–1279), the town was already producing porcelain for the imperial court, and large quantities of its wares have been found in shipwrecks in the South China Sea from this era. Under Mongol rule (1279–1368), mature blue-and-white porcelain (青花瓷) was born here. Beyond breakthroughs in painting techniques, Jingdezhen's abundant kaolin clay resources allowed artisans to create larger, thinner porcelain bodies-a true leap in craftsmanship. From then on, Jingdezhen established itself as the very heart of Chinese porcelain. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the imperial court even established official kilns in Jingdezhen dedicated to producing porcelain exclusively for royal use. After the founding of the PRC in 1949, several large porcelain factories were set up here. Astonishingly, half a century ago, one-third of China's foreign exchange earnings came from Jingdezhen porcelain. That number alone shocked me, but what I learned next surprised me even more. In my mind, an industrial city like Jingdezhen would be turning out ceramics that were rigid in design, lacking creativity, and largely mass-produced with printed patterns rather than hand-painted ones-something without sufficient artistic value. But my colleague told me otherwise: today Jingdezhen has more than 60,000 workshops, and over 90 percent of porcelain designs are still hand-painted: Machines may guarantee standardized mass production, but Jingdezhen's true strength lies in its culture of handcrafted customization. While many former industrial hubs shifted entirely toward the service sector in the post-industrial era, Jingdezhen has remained firmly rooted in porcelain. Last year alone, the city's ceramic industry reached an output value of over 93 billion yuan, exporting to more than 80 countries and regions. Even more impressive, the city has embraced bold innovations-reimagining what porcelain can be in the 21st century. Let's take a look at a few examples. Top left: You might not expect it, but ceramic materials can be transformed into musical instruments-flutes, chimes, even stringed instruments. And not just for show-they can really play. Hit play and listen for yourself. Can you believe this sound comes from clay? Top right: Shown here are the work of a Jingdezhen artist's daughter, who returned after studying in the UK: a ceramic speaker and a beautifully engineered teacup. Ingeniously designed with clever mechanics, this teacup will not topple no matter which angle the tea is poured from. With its simple form and distinctive texture, it carries both an Oriental heritage and a modern sensibility. She shared that her daily work involves constantly negotiating the space between tradition and innovation-often engaging in passionate, sometimes stubborn, debates with elder craftsmen. But she said it's exactly in those moments of tension that the most unexpected ideas are born. At one point, Jingdezhen stood in the brink of becoming China's Detroit. Once a glorious industrial powerhouse, prosperous for centuries longer than Detroit ever was, the city began to decline in the late 1990s. Large state-owned porcelain factories shut down one after another, tens of thousands of workers were laid off, and aging dormitories fell into disrepair, some crumbling into near slums. Meanwhile, Western ceramics companies, armed with more advanced industrial techniques, took over the mass-production market, and Jingdezhen's traditional advantages steadily eroded. As the city declined, a question loomed: What should be done with the husks of its abandoned factories? Some pushed to level them for new real estate projects, while others argued for preserving the industrial heritage. In the end, the preservationists won. Many of the old facilities were restored, repurposed, and left largely intact: transformed into artists' studios, small shops, and homes for young craftspeople. The porcelain fires no longer burn only in the kilns. They now fuel the city's way of life. It is precisely this unique blend of cultural atmosphere and youthful vitality that has brought Jingdezhen back to life. Over the past decade, the city has welcomed a net population inflow of 136,000 people, more than 80 percent of them young. In their twenties and thirties, ceramic artists have set up studios in alleys and courtyards, while young visitors wander through the streets, making it feel as though every lane holds a hidden story. What's equally surprising is that Jingdezhen's charm has crossed borders. Today, a growing number of young people from the United States, Japan, France, Turkey, and beyond have chosen to live here long-term, immersing themselves in the art of ceramics. They call this ancient-yet-youthful city "China within China." At the lower left and lower right are the Imperial Kiln Museum (yes, its architecture itself resembles a kiln) and its most popular artifact. Surprisingly, this piece is actually a "reject." Made in the mid-Ming dynasty for the emperor, it is a porcelain incense burner in the form of a duck. To date, the Palace Museum in Beijing has not discovered another example like it. As for its status as a flawed piece, there are a few theories: one suggests that the designer originally intended for smoke to spout from the duck's beak, but the effect proved unsatisfactory, and the craftsmen abandoned what was, perhaps, a rather avant-garde idea; another possibility is that a more perfect version was eventually produced, but those pieces did not survive through history. In Jingdezhen, porcelain rejects from the imperial kilns of the Ming and Qing dynasties were always smashed and discarded. Over time, they formed a mountain of shards. Archaeological work on this "porcelain mountain" continues to this day, with archaeologists patiently piecing fragments back together, like working with Lego bricks. The colleague told me that among this mountain, they even found some flawless porcelain pieces. When I asked why such perfect works would also be smashed, he explained one theory: certain pieces were so difficult to fire that, had the emperor seen them, he might have happily ordered, "Make ten more!" To spare themselves endless trouble, the craftsmen may have deliberately destroyed them, pretending nothing had ever succeeded in the first place. After the duck-shaped incense burner was pieced back together and put on display, its charming form earned it the nickname Suisuiya (碎碎鸭/Broken Duck) from Chinese netizens. Quite unexpectedly, it became something of a cultural phenomenon: quirky, creative, once a "failure," now rediscovered. Many young people see themselves in "Broken Duck": imperfect, but interesting; not yet celebrated, yet deserving to be seen. Artists, too, have embraced its odd yet endearing beauty, creating popular cartoon characters. Since the beginning of this year, merchandise and spin-off IP related to the Broken Duck have already generated more than 10 million RMB in revenue. In September, Khaby Lame, the most-followed creator on TikTok, visited the Imperial Kiln Museum and posed with the duck, pulling his signature expression (Though I must admit, I still don't quite get Lame's appeal…The duck, on the other hand, I find utterly delightful). Across China, Jingdezhen has emerged as a new model for urban renewal: one that does not blindly chase GDP growth or uncritical modernization, but instead draws from its own cultural roots to find common ground between tradition and the future. Sometimes, the hope of a city is hidden in the secret of a "Broken Duck." Not because it is flawless, but because it was once overlooked, and then reappreciated. Like Jingdezhen itself, true revival is not about rebuilding, but about learning to understand who you are, and learning to see it with new eyes.

Zhai Xiang

27,928 просмотров • 10 месяцев назад

🎨How Jingdezhen's Kiln Fires Have Burned for Millennia ① | Flame of Craftsmanship 🧑‍🎨The "Spherical Vase with Carp and Waterweed Decoration in Underglaze Red and Black" is the most cherished work of Zhong Hui, the Master of Zhong’s Kiln in Jingdezhen. The vase features a perfectly spherical shape and is adorned with waterweeds that glow in a warm underglaze red, with black carp seemingly swimming among them. The art of creating perfect underglaze red porcelain is a pursuit that has captivated this ceramic artisan for decades. The story goes back to the last century. Zhong Hui comes from a long line of ceramists that spans generations. Growing up surrounded by kilns and clay, he naturally chose ceramic creation as his vocation. Zhong has a particular passion for underglaze red porcelain—a passion that has driven him for over forty years. In the product catalog of Zhong’s Kiln, there had long been a notable absence of underglaze red porcelain. This gap was the result of an expensive endeavor. In 2009, driven by his love for the underglaze red porcelain and the confidence gained through years of study, Zhong built a kiln specifically for firing this type of porcelain. However, fourteen consecutive kiln firings yielded flawed pieces, which left him deeply disappointed. This protracted experimentation placed a significant financial burden on him; he sold his car and house, and his savings dwindled to just 10,000 yuan. Even so, he never abandoned his pursuit of creating the perfect underglaze red porcelain. Zhong spends most of his time in Sanbao Village, where he not only creates ceramics but also exchanges ideas with fellow artisans. He understands that ceramics is a collaborative art form that demands tacit coordination at every stage. Even with kiln masters he has worked alongside for decades, he oversees every critical moment: positioning pieces before firing, inspecting them as they emerge, and identifying flaws in time to make adjustments. After years of experience and seamless teamwork, his efforts finally paid off. When the kiln door opened once again, he held in his hands the underglaze red porcelain he had long envisioned. Zhong channels his spirit of craftsmanship not only into creation but also into nurturing the next generation. He founded a ceramic workshop where young people can explore and study ceramic art, developing a passion for it through hands-on learning. Today, the legacy of Zhong’s Kiln has passed down to its fourth generation—his son and daughter-in-law are already making their presence in the ceramic art. “I hope my grandchildren will continue this work,” Zhong shares with quiet pride, “and that each generation will surpass the achievements of the last.” #Porcelain #Jingdezhen #art #trending 薛剑XueJian Zhang Zhisheng 张志昇 XUESONGPAN@CANADA Zhang Heqing Consulat général de Chine à Strasbourg Ribiao Chen

Meet Jiangxi

200,328 просмотров • 7 месяцев назад

🎨 How Jingdezhen's Kiln Fires Have Burned for Millennia ② Flame of Innovation Linglong porcelain is characterized by its translucence quality and jade-like luster, and it has stood the test of time as one of the four famous porcelain varieties in Jingdezhen. Lyu Yating, President of Jingdezhen FUYU Blue and White Linglong Porcelain Co., Ltd., believes that this ancient porcelain can still be revitalized and given new life. In her company’s showroom, Linglong porcelain teacups radiate with a soft, jade‑like glow. Their glaze, embedded with evenly distributed crystallites, scatters light like stars. This beauty is no accident—it results from a glaze formula developed by Lyu and her team after more than a thousand rounds of trial and error. As a representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, Lyu, born in the 1990s, often faces a dilemma. On one side is the exquisite but difficult-to-scale handcraft of veteran artisans, while on the other side is the market’s demand for consistent and affordable daily-use porcelain. Lyu has chosen to be the one who breaks down these barriers—preserving the spirit of tradition while also making way for mass production. Change began where the labor demand was highest. Traditionally, the Linglong holes—delicate perforations on Linglong porcelain—were carved by hand, with a craftsman finishing only a few hundred holes per day at most. Lyu led her team in developing a precision carving machine for these holes, which increased efficiency tenfold, without compromising the porcelain’s translucent glow. To solve color-variation issues in the production of “Yingqing Glaze Linglong Porcelain with a Curved Form”, the team persisted for three years of trials, eventually creating a robotic glazing system that ensures an even and controllable glaze thickness. “Craftsmanship is the relentless pursuit of perfection,” Lyu says. This pursuit has made her a coordinator between two teams in her company: one delving into historic glaze recipes and the other focusing on industrial adaptation. She respects the artisans’ dedication while recognizing that a company must produce at scale to survive. Her way is to bring both sides together to advance Linglong porcelain. Technology alone is not enough; products need to incorporate cultural significance to truly resonate with consumers. Lyu has created a clear brand matrix for her company, enabling Linglong porcelain to find a structured and multidimensional path within modern commerce. The Fuyu series brings Linglong porcelain to everyday dining tables, while the cultural and creative brand WENO° captivates young consumers with hit products like the rotating cup. Meanwhile, Fuyu Kiln, which remains committed to using ancient wood-firing techniques, focuses on creating collector-grade pieces that may not sell quickly but embody the highest artistic ideals. Lyu Yating opened a door: within lies the steadfast guardianship of millennia; outside, the echoes of contemporary life. A warm and radiant light pours through that doorway, bright enough to illuminate the path ahead. #Porcelain #Jingdezhen #art #trending 薛剑XueJian Zhang Zhisheng 张志昇 XUESONGPAN@CANADA Zhang Heqing Consulat général de Chine à Strasbourg Ribiao Chen

Meet Jiangxi

200,339 просмотров • 7 месяцев назад