Jingdezhen sites window on ancient industry chain

Editor's note: The Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites, a series of heritage sites that showcase the thriving porcelain industry from the 10th to the 19th centuries in Jingdezhen, a city in Jiangxi province, were included in UNESCO's World Heritage List on Saturday. The sites include ancient kilns, mining areas and other spots. China News Service spoke with Liu Yu, an associate research fellow at the institute of literature and culture at the Jiangxi Academy of Social Sciences, and Weng Yanjun, head of the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Institute, about the significance of these heritage sites. Below are excerpts of the interviews. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

A unique feature of the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites is that they illustrate the entire production process of the ancient porcelain industry in the city. The mining areas, fuel supply zones, kiln workshops, wharves and ancient streets in the sites represent every stage of the industry. By exploring these areas, visitors can gain a clear understanding of how a handful of clay was transformed into a globally traded commodity.

Archaeological excavations at sites such as the Imperial Kiln and Luomaqiao Kiln reveal superimposed strata. Layers dating back to the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties lie underneath those of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Kilns, workshops and urban roads from different eras are stacked upon one another, forming a "three-dimensional chronicle of porcelain".

Jingdezhen has also witnessed the exchange of porcelain production know-how between China and other parts of the world. In developing blue-and-white porcelain, enamel-painted porcelain and famille rose porcelain, ancient Jingdezhen artisans incorporated pigments and decorative motifs from the Middle East and Europe, adapting these elements with local techniques.

Jingdezhen's "binary formula" of mixing kaolin and porcelain stone to make ceramic ware was instrumental in inspiring the development of high-temperature hard-paste porcelain technology in Europe. The shapes, patterns and decorative styles of Jingdezhen's porcelain were also widely studied and imitated in Europe, influencing painting, furniture and architectural decoration. Thus, porcelain was more than a mere commodity. It was a medium for the exchange of technology, art and lifestyles.

At the Imperial Kiln, Luomaqiao Kiln and other heritage sites, archaeologists have unearthed finished wares, defective products, kiln furniture and other relics. By analyzing the shapes, glazes and heat marks on the wares, as well as the strata where they were discovered, researchers can reconstruct the formulas and production methods of different historical periods.

The archaeological excavations and analyses of these heritage sites might provide references for the modern porcelain-making industry to improve production techniques and product designs.

The inclusion of these sites on the World Heritage List deepens our appreciation of Jingdezhen's heritage, and helps us shift from simply admiring the beauty of porcelain wares to understanding the entire industry chain and urban system of the city.

Jingdezhen maintains a complete set of porcelain-making techniques and a community of craftspeople to this day. According to some estimates, more than 100,000 people work in the porcelain and related industries in the city.

Jingdezhen has forged friendly ties with over 180 cities worldwide, and its porcelain products are sold to dozens of countries and regions. Artists from more than 50 countries and regions reside here for creative pursuits, turning the city into a vibrant venue for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.