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"China has long been known as the land of porcelain, and this capital was the pinnacle of the porcelain industry." Renowned historian and writer Guo Moruo once commented. The English word "China" combines the meanings of "ceramic" and "China." What an honor it is to have an artifact share the same name as a country!
As the only city in China famous for its ceramics, Jingdezhen, a historical and cultural city located at the junction of Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, has had its kilns burning continuously for thousands of years. It has gathered the essence of craftsmanship from all dynasties and the culmination of famous kilns from all over the country, forming a profound, heavy, and brilliant ceramic culture.
"White as jade, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and resonant like a chime"—this is the unique style of Jingdezhen porcelain. Millennia of experience and refinement have shaped a complete and sophisticated system of handmade porcelain craftsmanship. Its achievements, influence, exquisite craftsmanship, and comprehensive product range are unmatched in any era or place.
I have heard of its great name for a long time, and finally I have the opportunity to visit this long-admired city and witness the charm of this thousand-year-old porcelain capital.
My four-day trip gave me a more intuitive and profound understanding of Jingdezhen's ceramic culture, and I deeply admired China's ancient and glorious industrial civilization and craftsmanship. I'd like to share my observations and tips for those who want to visit the Porcelain Capital as a reference.
According to historical records, Jingdezhen began to produce porcelain on a large scale in the Five Dynasties. In the Song Dynasty, there was a scene of "kilns in every village and pottery in every household". In the Ming and Qing dynasties, imperial factories were established and Jingdezhen became the national porcelain production center.
The establishment of the Imperial Factory and the expansion of overseas markets significantly boosted the development of the porcelain industry. Small kiln workshops, once scattered across rural areas, gradually converged in the urban area, with increasingly specialized divisions of labor and a growing number of practitioners. This led to a situation where "70% were kiln owners and shop owners, with 20% being local residents." Jingdezhen thus became a ceramic metropolis known as "a fusion of five regions" and "the port of eighteen provinces."
In a Chinese culture dominated by agriculture, Jingdezhen's traditional handicraft industry stands out as unique and gave rise to the seeds of capitalism. The Jingdezhen Ancient Kiln and Folk Customs Expo Area is the perfect window into Jingdezhen's long history and rich ceramic culture.
Passing by the statue of Tong Bin, the "Fenghuo Immortal Master", we stopped at a handmade porcelain workshop.
Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty wrote in The Exploitation of the Works of Nature: "It takes seventy-two hands to make a single piece of clay, and it takes so much effort to make it a finished object. The minute details involved are too numerous to list."
This is where the 72 steps in Jingdezhen porcelain production come from. Here, we witnessed a demonstration of traditional porcelain-making techniques, where the processed clay gradually takes shape through the various steps of throwing, sharpening, glazing, and painting. The skilled craftsmen's exceptional skills were truly eye-opening, transforming each piece of clay into a beautiful work of art.
The finished blanks must undergo a crucial process before they can be fired into finished porcelain. Kiln firing plays a crucial role in porcelain production. In the Ancient Kiln and Folk Customs Expo Area, you can see porcelain kilns of various styles from past dynasties.
The first kiln we visited was the Zhen Kiln, which was formed during the Qing Dynasty. This kiln, developed through centuries of exploration and refinement, embodies the experience and wisdom of Jingdezhen's kiln workers over the centuries and represents the highest level of technology in traditional porcelain kiln construction worldwide. This wood-fired kiln, the oldest surviving kiln with the largest capacity and the most diverse production, has been designated a Nationally Protected Cultural Relic.
Opposite the Zhen Kiln is the Lion Kiln, and above it stands the Ming Dynasty Gourd Kiln. It's said that the famous Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white Guiguzi Descending the Mountain jar and the Ming Dynasty Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup were both produced here. These ancient kilns are refired several times each year, a continuation of the kiln's fire and a legacy of its spirit.
In order to protect the historical and cultural relics of ceramics, the local government, in the process of cooperating with the urban reconstruction, relocated several ancient kilns, ancient workshops and ancient buildings scattered in the urban area to other places and established the Jingdezhen Ceramic History Expo Area.
The Expo Area consists of two major parts: the ancient kiln and the Ceramic History Museum. It is one of the most concentrated and essential tourist areas for understanding Jingdezhen's ceramic culture, and is called the "Living Ceramic Museum" by domestic and foreign experts and ceramic enthusiasts.
At the Porcelain Music Pavilion, you can enjoy the porcelain music performance that is “unique in China and the first of its kind in the world”:
Tips:
①Performance time: 9:30 to 11:10 in the morning, 14:00 to 15:40 in the afternoon, one show every 50 minutes.
(Six performances per day from Monday to Friday, with an additional performance on weekends and statutory holidays.)
②Charge standards:
●Ticket price: 95 yuan per person/time;
● Discounted tickets for the scenic spot are 50 yuan per person per time. Citizens of this city, journalists, seniors aged 60-65, students under 24, and people with disabilities can enjoy discounted tickets by presenting relevant certificates.
●People over 65 years old, active military personnel, disabled veterans, retired military cadres, and people with disabilities can enjoy free tickets after registering with their ID. Children under 1.2 meters in height can also enjoy free tickets.
● Parking fee: 10 yuan per vehicle for large and medium-sized vehicles (16 or more seats), 5 yuan per vehicle for small vehicles (15 or fewer seats), and 1 yuan per motorcycle. (Travel agency buses are exempt from parking fees after registration.)
●Explanation fee: The tour guide explanation service fee is 100 yuan, the special language explanation service fee is 150 yuan, and the self-explanation service fee is 150 yuan.
③Address: No. 1, Guyao Road, Cidu Avenue, Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province Opening hours: 8:00 am to 5:30 pm
④ Accommodation and meals: The scenic area is located in the urban area of Jingdezhen City. There are many hotels, guesthouses and restaurants nearby, making accommodation and meals convenient.
⑤ Transportation: From the Jingdezhen West Expressway Interchange → Yingbin Avenue → Turn right at the West Railway Station → Porcelain Capital Avenue → diagonally opposite the Kaimenzi Hotel → Turn right to enter the Ancient Kiln and Folk Customs Expo Area. From the Jingdezhen North Expressway Interchange → Jinling Avenue → Zijing Road → Xishan Road → Turn left onto Porcelain Capital Avenue → diagonally opposite the Kaimenzi Hotel → Turn left to enter the Ancient Kiln and Folk Customs Expo Area.
To understand the historical roots of Jingdezhen, the Porcelain Capital, one must begin by exploring its origins. Yaoli Town in Fuliang County is a must-see, so we journeyed to the Raonan Scenic Area, known as the "Source of Porcelain." Home to hundreds of ancient kiln sites from the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, and over a hundred ancient mining caves, the area boasts one of the richest and best-preserved porcelain heritage sites in Jingdezhen.
The Raonan Scenic Area is located in Raonan Village, Yaoli Town, 55 kilometers from Jingdezhen City. The words "Origin of Porcelain" are prominently displayed on the scenic area's gate. The area boasts numerous ancient kiln sites, numerous ancient mines, ancient water mills, and other porcelain-related relics, earning it a designation as a dual natural and cultural heritage site.
While touring along the Donghe River, you will see water mills pounding the glaze stone raw materials mined from the mountains into powder, which is then processed into "cooked soil". The entire process combines many disciplines such as hydraulic dynamics, mechanics, mechanics, fluid mechanics and ceramic technology, which makes us admire the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients in developing and utilizing nature.
The Raonan Scenic Area contains numerous ancient kiln ruins. The No. 1 Dragon Kiln ruins consist of three parts: the fire chamber, the kiln bed, and the chimney. It measures 19.2 meters in length, with a slope of 18.5 degrees. The kiln bed is 18.6 meters long and 1.9 meters wide. The kiln walls are 0.3 meters thick, and the base of the ruins is intact, clearly showing its original scale.
Below the round pavilion is Dragon Kiln No. 2, a smaller kiln, yet one of the oldest porcelain kilns discovered in Yaoli. Kiln No. 2, dating from the Southern Song Dynasty until the mid-Ming Dynasty, is a sloped dragon kiln from the Southern Song Dynasty. With a total length of 11 meters and a 20-degree slope, it represents a small dragon kiln during the transition from dragon kilns to horseshoe kilns.
Dragon Kiln Site No. 3 is the oldest, best-preserved, and longest dragon kiln discovered to date. Built on a hillside with a slope of 19.5 degrees, it measures 48.2 meters long and consists of three parts: the fire chamber, the kiln bed, and the chimney. The kiln bed measures 41.7 meters long and 2 meters wide, making its scale, even today, truly impressive.
Before the Ming Dynasty, the dragon kiln was widely used in the porcelain production industry in Jingde Town. As the earliest and most basic type of porcelain kiln, the dragon kiln boasted high thermal efficiency, fuel savings, a short production cycle, high output, low firing costs, and low construction expenses, earning it the nickname "the cradle of celadon." However, its disadvantages included high labor intensity, labor-intensive labor, difficulty in heat preservation, low yield, and poor quality. It was not until the Ming Dynasty that the dragon kiln was gradually replaced by gourd kilns and town kilns.
Next to the ancient kiln ruins, you can see many burnt porcelain pieces and fragments. Near the dragon kiln are also large and small folk kiln ruins, which shows how prosperous the porcelain industry was back then.
Tips:
① Address of the scenic spot: Raonan Scenic Spot is located in Raonan Village, Yaoli Ancient Town, Fuliang County, 3 kilometers away from Yaoli Ancient Town and 7 kilometers away from Meiling.
②Opening hours: 7:00-17:00
③Play time: 1 hour - 3 hours
④ Transportation: From Jingdezhen: After arriving in Jingdezhen, take the Jingdezhen-Yaoli bus. There are two buses daily, departing Jingdezhen at 7:30 AM and arriving in Yaoli around 9:00 AM; and departing Jingdezhen at 2:00 PM and arriving in Yaoli around 4:00 PM.
Yaoli, formerly known as "Yalli," is named after the birthplace of Jingdezhen ceramics, with a history of ceramic production dating back to the Tang Dynasty. Located northeast of Jingdezhen, Yaoli is nestled in the heart of three UNESCO World Heritage sites: Huangshan, Lushan, Xidi, and Hongcun. It's known as the "Source of Porcelain, Hometown of Tea, and Sea of Forests."
Yaoli is a revolutionary site. Comrade Chen Yi visited Yaoli from 1937 to 1938 and directed the reorganization of the New Fourth Army. The area where he once lived is now an exhibition hall showcasing the New Fourth Army's reorganization in Yaoli and the life of Comrade Chen Yi. It serves as a venue for revolutionary education and the edification of the ideas of revolutionary predecessors.
More than 800 years ago, at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, the discovery and use of kaolin led to the creation of the "binary formula" body-making method in the Jingdezhen porcelain industry, realizing the transition from low-fired soft porcelain to high-fired hard porcelain, resulting in a qualitative leap in the history of Chinese porcelain making and laying a solid foundation for Jingdezhen to become the world's porcelain capital.
Yaoli is an important production area of kaolin. The rich and high-quality mineral raw materials, ample water resources from mountain springs and streams, and the endless fuel from mountain forests and vegetation provide good conditions for the development of the porcelain industry.
Ever since Changnan Town began using this jade clay to make porcelain, the resulting porcelain has become so exquisite it's been dubbed "fake jade." Porcelain makers have since begun calling this jade clay "kaolin." During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, a foreigner named Entrecolet visited Jingdezhen and systematically researched the raw materials used in porcelain production. He also visited kaolin production areas and wrote an article introducing kaolin to the world. Since then, kaolin has become world-famous.
Yaoli, also known as "Yaoli," was originally inhabited by the Liu clan, who arrived in the late Western Han Dynasty. This area boasts a history of over 2,000 years. Ceramic workshops began to appear in Yaoli during the mid-Tang Dynasty. The Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties marked the heyday of Yaoli's ceramics industry.
At that time, the main focus was on processing porcelain clay and glazes, and numerous porcelain kilns also sprang up among the people. During the Yuan Dynasty, Yaoli kilns were already producing glazed tiles for the imperial court. Numerous remains of ancient porcelain production remain in the area, and in the ancient kiln areas, porcelain fragments and kiln tools are everywhere.
Yaoli is also a place where tea is produced in abundance. The "Fuliang" in the famous line by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi, "Merchants value profit over separation. Last month I went to Fuliang to buy tea," describes this place.
With the opening of the border road from ancient Raozhou to ancient Huizhou, Yaoli developed into an important gathering place for people traveling to and from ancient Fuliang, Xiuning, Qimen and other counties because it was an important node of the ancient Huizhou Road. The Ming and Qing commercial streets that have been preserved in Yaoli Town and the "Huizhou Road Turn" monument in the 38th year of Qianlong (1773 AD) are historical witnesses of the transportation and economic development of Yaoli Town at that time.
There are a large number of ancestral halls, ancient streets and old houses in Yaoli Ancient Town. The three relatively well-preserved old streets include the Ming and Qing Commercial Street, Hedong Street District and Hexi Street District. There are eight ancient building complexes such as the Cheng Family Ancestral Hall, and 267 relatively well-preserved residential buildings.
The ancient dwellings in Yaoli all face the river, with nearly every home nestled against the mountain, facing the water, and protected by the mountain. The architecture is richly influenced by the local styles of northeastern Jiangxi and southern Anhui. Roofs with upturned eaves and angles, tall gables, whitewashed walls and black tiles, courtyards with water flowing into the hall, bluestone streets, and brick, stone, and woodcarving decorations create a rich and exquisite atmosphere.
Yaoli Ancient Town was designated as a famous historical and cultural town in China in 2005. It has also been awarded the honorary titles of National Key Scenic Area, National 4A Scenic Area, the first batch of national mining parks, national forest park, and national key cultural relics protection unit.
Due to geographical constraints, starting in the Ming and Qing dynasties, large-scale porcelain workshops in the Fuliang area gradually concentrated in Changnan, where waterways were more developed. Yaoli's porcelain industry and practitioners also relocated accordingly, gradually distancing itself from this ancient town, once on par with Jingdezhen. Despite the passage of time, Yaoli Ancient Town has retained its original charm, characterized by its quaint elegance and simple folk customs. Combined with the red culture, the four defining characteristics of Yaoli Ancient Town are "red, ancient, green, and gray."
Tips:
① Transportation: After arriving in Jingdezhen, go to Licun Short Distance Bus Station and take the "Jingdezhen-Yaoli" bus (two buses a day, departing from Jingdezhen at 07:30 in the morning and arriving in Yaoli around 9:00; departing from Jingdezhen at 2:00 in the afternoon and arriving in Yaoli around 4:00).
②Ticket price: 13 yuan
③Frequency: There are two direct shuttle buses: one departing around 9:00 AM and the other around 4:00 PM. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Fuliang to Ehu Lake, then share a ride from Ehu Lake to Yaoli. The various scenic spots in Yaoli are 5-8 kilometers apart, so public transportation is not very convenient, so it's better to drive or rent a car.
④Tickets: Five-attraction combined ticket: RMB 150 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st - December 31st) There is no entrance fee for the ancient town, but some individual attractions in the scenic area charge a fee.
⑤Opening hours: All day
⑥ Accommodation and food: There are many inns, guesthouses and restaurants in the ancient town, making accommodation and food very convenient.
Gaoling Village, 40 kilometers from downtown Jingdezhen and only 10 kilometers from the Yaoli Scenic Area, has been developed into a newly designated AAAA scenic spot, leveraging Fuliang's unique resources as "the source of porcelain, the hometown of tea, and the sea of forests." A sea of flowers in Gaoling Village has recently become a popular photo spot.
Gaoling Flower Sea consists of five areas: colorful flower art, pastel flower fields, colored glaze flower valley, Qinghualing, and exquisite garden. Dozens of different flowers are planted here, among which purple verbena grows in large areas, making it a favorite photo-taking spot for tourists.
The flower sea covers a total area of more than 2,000 acres, integrating experiences such as "research and education, fun entertainment, romantic leisure, and health care for the elderly", creating a garden-style leisure and sightseeing area with "grass in spring, flowers in summer, fruits in autumn, and green in winter".
Tips:
① Accommodation and meals: There are hotels, restaurants, and many homestays and farmhouses near the scenic area, which can provide catering and accommodation.
Transportation: There are frequent buses from downtown Jingdezhen to Fuliang County, allowing you to transfer there or rent a car. There are also buses from downtown Jingdezhen to the scenic area, which takes about 40 minutes. For larger groups, it's more convenient to drive or rent a car.
About 5 kilometers from downtown Jingdezhen lies the Sanbao International Ceramics Village, founded in 1995 by renowned Canadian ceramicist Professor Li Jianshen. The village is home to the Jingdezhen Sanbao Ceramics Institute. It serves as a showcase for Jingdezhen's ceramic culture and a popular tourist destination brimming with artistic ambiance.
Walking along the village streets, the courtyard walls, built from discarded ceramics and debris, are truly unique, drawing passersby to take photos. Nestled between mountains and rivers, with streams and waterfalls, exquisite houses dotted throughout the village, creating a tranquil and leisurely atmosphere. Living here creates a sense of detachment, like a paradise.
The village has opened many pottery studios, exhibition halls and cultural and creative areas. It has hosted many cultural exchange activities and provided a broad creative space for art lovers. It has gradually developed into a tourist attraction.
Tips:
① Transportation: Public transportation to this place is not convenient, so it is suitable to drive here.
②Tickets: The village does not charge admission. Many places are private residences and studios, so please give them a heads-up before visiting.
③ Accommodation and meals: There are a few inns and restaurants in the village.
The Zhushan Imperial Kiln Site was named one of the top ten archaeological discoveries of 2003 and was designated a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Site in 2006. This site was a royal kiln that produced porcelain for the imperial court during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Serving 27 emperors for over 500 years, it is my country's longest-running, largest, and most sophisticated official porcelain factory.
As an official imperial kiln, it concentrated the best raw materials, the most outstanding talents, and sufficient funds, making it the pinnacle of Jingdezhen's ceramic art, producing a large number of exquisite ceramic artworks, most of which are collected in the National Palace Museum in Beijing, Taipei and major museums around the world.
In the past, unearthed here were porcelain from the official kilns of the Yuan Dynasty and numerous vessels from the Hongwu, Yongle, Xuande, Zhengtong, Chenghua, Hongzhi, and Zhengde reigns of the Ming Dynasty, all of which are of great significance to the study of the development of Chinese ceramics. Someone even bought a house here to unearth these treasures and dug on their own land, only to discover them after they had collapsed a wall. In 2002, the Jingdezhen Municipal Government relocated its offices away from the Imperial Kiln Site area, demolished the office building, and began the Imperial Kiln Site Conservation Project.
Next to the ruins, there are buildings such as the Youtao Ling Temple and the Imperial Kiln Craft Museum, which showcase the exquisite craftsmanship and long and profound pottery culture of the Imperial Kiln, as well as an introduction to Tang Ying, the pottery supervisor of the Qing Dynasty.
Tang Ying belonged to the Plain White Banner of the Han Army. In 1728, he was appointed Assistant Director of the Imperial Kiln Factory in Jingdezhen. He managed the factory for over twenty years, dedicating himself to the study of ceramics and accumulating extensive experience in porcelain production. He produced porcelain for both the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors. The porcelain he oversaw was not only exquisite but also innovative, earning the admiration of both emperors. Therefore, the official kilns of the Qianlong era are often referred to as "Tang Kilns."
Zhushan, where the ruins are located, is located in the heart of Jingdezhen's old city. According to the Fuliang County Chronicles, "Zhushan, a solitary peak, rises in the center of Jingdezhen, with trees ten feet high, stretching for miles, its peaks and ridges towering in the distance, overlooking the surrounding area." Later, with urban development, the mountain gradually disappeared, leaving only the site of Longzhu Pavilion and a terrace more than ten meters high.
The Longzhu Pavilion atop Zhushan Mountain has been a representative structure of the Imperial Porcelain Factory and Imperial Kiln Factory since the Ming Dynasty. The current Longzhu Pavilion, a replica of a Ming Dynasty double-eaved palace building, stands 34.5 meters tall, with six floors. It's said that in Seto City, a center of Japanese porcelain production, a replica of the Longzhu Pavilion stands atop Zhushan Mountain, a testament to the Seto people's reverence for the Jingdezhen Longzhu Pavilion.
The Imperial Kiln Museum under Lord Longzhu is a must-see place. It is not only interesting in content, but also has a unique architectural style. The museum consists of 8 linear brick arch structures of different sizes and volumes. The sunken courtyard, open arches, and simple colors make it a great background for taking photos with its "high appearance".
The Imperial Kiln Museum displays a large number of restored porcelain fragments. In the past, porcelain produced by the imperial kilns with flaws had to be smashed and destroyed under strict supervision to prevent its release into the hands of the public. After restoration by cultural relics experts, these imperfect pieces are now breathtaking, demonstrating the exquisite quality of the porcelain selected for imperial use.
Tips:
The Imperial Kiln Site is located in the center of Jingdezhen, with convenient accommodation and transportation.
The Imperial Kiln is a national demonstration base for the productive protection and research of intangible cultural heritage (handmade porcelain), a national cultural industry demonstration base, and a national industrial tourism demonstration site. It is a comprehensive ceramic cultural and creative industrial park integrating production, learning, research, tourism, shopping, and entertainment. It is also a cultural and tourist attraction dedicated to the panoramic reproduction, living heritage, and authentic interpretation of the porcelain-making techniques of the imperial kilns of past dynasties.
At the Demonstration Base for the Productive Protection of Handmade Porcelain, an intangible cultural heritage, craftsmen are using traditional techniques to create porcelain, demonstrating each step of the production process to visitors. This is a research and study base for Jingdezhen porcelain culture, and we saw many children, led by teachers, observing ceramic production and getting hands-on experience. This situational teaching method integrates porcelain culture and the spirit of craftsmanship into their education.
The garden architecture of the Imperial Kiln Scenic Area is simple and elegant. It displays the porcelain clay processing process through real scenes. From ore to pottery mud, every step is done with great care, reflecting the rigorous craftsman spirit and rich accumulation of experience.
To commemorate Tang Ying's contributions to Jingdezhen ceramics, a Tanggong Temple was built at the Imperial Kiln, showcasing the life and deeds of Tang Ying, the Qing Dynasty's Inspector of Ceramics. Tang Ying's tenure was the heyday of Jingdezhen ceramics, producing numerous precious porcelain pieces and elevating the art of Jingdezhen ceramics to new heights.
Tips:
①Scenic area address: No. 668, Gaoling Avenue, Fuliang County, Jingdezhen City
②Opening hours: 08:30-17:00
③ Tour route: Song Dynasty Porcelain Workshop - Yuan Dynasty Porcelain Workshop - Ming Dynasty Porcelain Workshop - Chai Kiln - Ceramic Experience Center - Qing Dynasty Porcelain Workshop - Tanggong Temple - Shuyu Lake - Imperial Kiln Ceramic Art Museum - Ancient Ceramic Specimen Museum
In the evening, we came to Taoxichuan, a cultural and creative district with a strong artistic atmosphere. It used to be a ceramic factory. After the renovation, it retained a full industrial style and was creatively packaged. It looks quite like the relocated 798 Fen8.
The aging factory buildings have now become cafes, studios, restaurants, galleries, and boutiques, blending the ancient with the modern, creating a blend of artistic flair and a spiritual haven for those who appreciate artistic creativity. Through the successful transformation of industrial heritage through cultural integration, Taoxichuan has become a new cultural landmark and a new calling card for Jingdezhen.
Tips:
①Address: No. 150, Xinchang West Road, Zhushan District, Jingdezhen City
②Visit time: All day, recommended evening is the best
③Suitable season: all year round
④Play time: more than 1 hour
⑤Ticket price: Free
There is a must-see attraction in Jingdezhen, which is the Changnanli Art Center located in the Ceramic Cultural Tourism City in the Changnan Expansion Zone of Jingdezhen. It is commonly known as "Big Bowl" by the locals.
The Changnanli Art Center's "Big Bowl" is inspired by the Song Dynasty Hutian Kiln's Yingqing Douli Bowl, symbolizing the "Mother of All Porcelains." The Art Center boasts a floor area of approximately 10,000 square meters across four floors, offering approximately 5,500 square meters of exhibition space. This spacious and elegant venue accommodates ceramic cultural activities such as sales, exhibitions, training, creation, and auctions.
The exterior wall of the "Big Bowl" is made of nano-sprayed aluminum panels, arranged in a scaly and shingled manner. Through the projection of light, the outside of the "Big Bowl" presents a total of eight colors, and can also project changing patterns through 4D technology.
Near the "Big Bowl," there's a music plaza, a cultural and arts center, a bookstore, a hotel, an art gallery, a food court, trendy retail stores, bars, and entertainment venues, providing a relaxing spot for locals and tourists alike to explore and take photos. This, currently the largest porcelain bowl in China, has become a must-see destination in Jingdezhen.
To fully understand Jingdezhen's ceramic culture, a visit to the China National Ceramics Museum is a must. So, our trip to Jingdezhen concluded with a visit to the China National Ceramics Museum. This national first-class museum is also China's first large-scale dedicated ceramics museum, housing over 30,000 masterpieces from various historical periods, including over 500 nationally recognized cultural relics.
From the firing process of porcelain to exquisite works from various eras, the exhibits in the museum are dazzling. While admiring the porcelain artworks, we also have a deeper understanding of Jingdezhen's industrial civilization.
Jingdezhen's handmade porcelain production is highly specialized, with meticulous divisions of labor. Each artisan must master a specific skill, dedicating it to their career. This dedication, focus, concentration, and pursuit of excellence have been passed down through the centuries in Jingdezhen, contributing to the exceptional craftsmanship of Jingdezhen porcelain.
Chinese civilization has always been based on farming and studying. Jingdezhen's porcelain industry, with its highly developed and outstanding achievements, has become a prominent representative of ancient Chinese industrial civilization, leading the world for centuries. As the Millennium Porcelain Capital, Jingdezhen is worthy of the title "China" and its namesake.
After a few days of visits, we have been more deeply impressed by the wisdom and ingenuity of our ancestors. In addition to the exquisite porcelain artworks, this is a precious spiritual wealth left to us by our ancestors, which makes us proud and full of cultural confidence.
