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“It’s like tracing porcelain back to its origin,” said Chris Dagradi at the Jingdezhen International Ceramics Fair held on October 18-22, the largest event of its kind in the world. Jingdezhen, known as“China’s porcelain capital,” has a porcelainmaking history of over 1,700 years.
Dagradi attended the fair as a representative of Deft, a Dutch city also known for its ceramic products styled on Chinese porcelain imported during the 17th century.
“Four hundred years ago, the Dutch came to China to buy beautiful porcelain pieces, and then we began to imitate them in Holland,” he said. But after the 17th century, there was no contact between Deft and Jingdezhen.
“Now we are coming back,” he said. Based on an inter-city cooperation agreement, Deft wants to renew its historical relationship with Jingdezhen through several exchange programs.
But not only the Dutch are interested in Jingdezhen. Every year the “porcelain capital”of China is host to millions of Chinese and foreign visitors trying to unravel the mysteries of this ancient industry’s past, and share its promising future.
Strong traditions
For those unfamiliar with Jingdezhen in east China’s Jiangxi Province, the city’s former name, Changnan, may ring some bells. In the 17th century, Changnan exported ceramic products that were highly coveted by upper-class Europeans. Having difficulty pronouncing the city’s original name, they called it “china,” and referred to its exquisite porcelain products using the same name. In the following centuries, these delicate pieces formed Westerners’ first, vague impressions of China, the remote dragon nation of the East.
To date, modern industries like aerospace and vehicle production have replaced the traditional ceramic business to become the pillars of the city’s economy. But the city’s pride in its splendid history can still be seen in ceramic-decorated streetlights and trash cans on the streets and bridges with names that evoke the city’s connection to ceramics.
To celebrate Jingdezhen’s traditions, an ancient kiln was lit in a ceremony conducted during the October fair. The dragon-shaped kiln was built by porcelain archaeologists and scholars in the style of the Dragon Kiln of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The ceremony followed a complicated traditional ritual, including a sacrifice to the god of ceramics. According to legend, the god was originally a human who died in the process of doing the impossible: creating a perfect work.
“Young people nowadays know little about tradition,” said Yang Peng, director at Jingdezhen Ceramic Corp., a modern tech-based enterprise. She believes that the ceremony was aimed at reminding people to have a scrupulous and serious attitude toward work. “We inherited porcelainmaking techniques from our ancestors. These actions show our determination to pass our tradition and spirit on to the next generation.”
In recent years, reconstructions of porcelain kilns used during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties have been lit. These events are designed to echo the slogan, “keeping the kiln fire burning for thousands of years,” and are part of the city’s efforts to revive historic porcelain-making techniques.
In the Ancient Kiln Folk-custom Exhibition Zone where replicas of the ancient kilns are on display, many masters of hand-making porcelain show their skills. Most of them are over 60, but younger artists can also be found. The loss of cultural heritage in other cities has been a cause for concern, but young people in Jingdezhen may revive the city’s tradition in porcelain-making and popularize it across the country.
A ceramic Mecca
As part of the sacrificial ritual to the god of ceramics, Liu Changlin, Mayor of Jingdezhen, read a traditional ritual verse in front of an actor who played a “ceramic god”dressed in the traditional costume of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Part of the ritual involved two guests taking turns paying their respects to the god by making an offering of wine. After them, American artist Philip Read took part in the ceremony.
“I was really overwhelmed to be part of it,” said Read, who found himself understanding the exotic and ancient ceremony. “It’s not just going through the motions; it’s actually from the heart. As an artist and human being, I do believe that a part of our spirits goes into the making of our works.”
Formerly the world’s premier source of porcelain products, Jingdezhen is now having outsiders join in the building of its future. According to government statistics, over 3,000 foreign artists traveled to Jingdezhen during 2011 to study or seek inspiration. The local government supports these exchange activities, providing accommodation and interpreters.
Located in a small village outside Jingdezhen City, Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute is based within several old and shabby village houses. But for ceramic artists from around the world, the workshop, surrounded by a stunning natural landscape, is a paradise because of its proximity to raw materials and traditional facilities, as well as its tranquil and unaffected atmosphere.
Terry Lazaroff, a Canadian sculptor, visits every two years, staying in Sanbao for one or two months each time. This year marks his fifth visit to Jingdezhen. Like Lazaroff, many foreign artists are attracted by the skilled craftsmen and the artistic atmosphere.
“I’m an artist; I’m supposed to come here to make art. But I’m also here for the people,”said Lazaroff, “I will live here for a couple of months, because I want to experience the culture.”
Sowing the seeds
Looking to the future, Jingdezhen will find maintaining its position as a peerless center for porcelain and ceramic arts more difficult than it was in the past. In recent decades, cities like Foshan in south China’s Guangdong Province have emerged as great competitors. These cities are home to companies that specialize in mass production and enjoy an advantageous position in the markets.
Many agree that changes are necessary, but that complete industrialization would destroy the city’s traditional hand-made porcelain system. For years, Jingdezhen has been seeking a unique solution that balances these concerns.
The Jingdezhen Sculpture and Ceramic Factory was one of the ceramic factories which sank in the tide of the country’s shift to a market economy at the end of the last century. But in recent years it has been revived in a different form—run by former employees and artists, over 200 ceramic workshops are held in the abandoned factory.
Young artists gather here, and on the weekends the Letian Creative Market provides a platform for them to sell their works and exchange ideas.
“This is the first time I build my own business,” said Li Li, a student from the Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute. “We cherish traditional techniques, but we also want to make some new progress through our own efforts.”
The local government sees these young talents as a solid foundation for its growing cultural and creative industry. To promote the industry, many abandoned factories in the city have been transformed into artistic communities and studios for young artists, and several creative industrial centers have been established.
According to Deng Baosheng, Secretary of the Jingdezhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, Jingdezhen has gone through different developmental stages during its history, and the development of cultural and creative industries will help it achieve a new leap, becoming a city of modern art.
“Our dream is to make Jingdezhen into an international ceramics center, just as it was centuries ago, but more creative and diversified,” said Li.