Food is the essence of human life, while ceramics serve as its vessel. It is widely recognized that porcelain was one of the most significant commodities exchanged along the ancient Maritime Silk Road.
I have visited Jingdezhen, the international ‘Porcelain Capital,’ and Qianshan’s Doumu Village in Anhui, renowned as the ‘Hometown of Pottery in Southwestern Anhui.’ There, I closely observed and documented the craftsmanship of intangible cultural heritage inheritors engaged in handmade pottery production. I now share this experience through a curated article.
[Qilu Poem] Handmade Pottery in Doumu Village, Qianshan
Text and Photos by Huifan
Anhui’s masters wield tools with divine skill, their pottery art drawing widespread admiration.
Processes include washing, mixing, kneading, shaping, carving, drying, firing, and smoke tempering.
Local resources of fire, water, and clay ease the creation of treasured jars, pots, and bowls.
May this millennium-old traditional craft endure, ensuring intangible heritage never fades.
Witnessing the live work of many intangible cultural heritage inheritors up close is a photographer’s delight. In the workshops, one can observe the entire process: throwing, trimming, molding, carving, foot-shaping, painting, glazing, and kiln firing—all executed methodically.
The ceramics are succinctly described as ‘white as jade, black as lacquer, bright as a mirror, resonant as a chime, and thin as paper.’
