by Xinhua Writers Zheng Bofei, Zhu Yunuo, Wang Xiaopeng
JINGDEZHEN, Jiangxi, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- A small porcelain cup hits the floor. Instead of shattering, it bounces, making a dull but playful sound. Though not a historic artifact in Jingdezhen's newly inscribed World Heritage property, the cup embodies the innovative spirit that still thrives in this ancient porcelain city in east China's Jiangxi Province.
On July 25, the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 61st World Heritage site.
Weng Yanjun, director of the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum, said the significance of the inscription extends beyond the beauty of Jingdezhen porcelain or the fame of a single imperial kiln.
The property preserves material evidence of a complete porcelain-producing civilization that operated continuously from the 10th to the 19th century, transformed ceramic technology time and time again, and influenced production and artistic tastes worldwide, Weng told Xinhua.
The influence of that legacy lives on today. Jingdezhen still possesses a production network capable of turning an unfamiliar idea into a finished object, providing fertile ground for artistic creation and experimentation.
COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM
Weng has participated in the nomination work since 2015. He said an earlier plan focused more heavily on the Imperial Kiln site and its upstream and downstream connections. The final proposal, however, presented a broader picture of Jingdezhen's handicraft porcelain industry.
"You cannot look at only one site in isolation, or only at the imperial kilns or civilian kilns," Weng said. "You have to examine it from the perspective of the entire industrial chain and from an overall perspective."
According to Weng, components selected for the site include different elements of the system, such as sources of porcelain stone and kaolin, firewood production areas, civilian and imperial kilns, and the social organizations that supported production.
The same system is still at work in the city's contemporary workshops and porcelain factories.
Xu Wan, general manager of Jingdezhen Chentian Ceramics, pointed to a crowned Molly figurine commissioned by toy brand Pop Mart and decorated using Jingdezhen's traditional bahua technique, often described as "needlework on porcelain."
After covering the porcelain with a colored ground, an artisan uses a needle-like tool to scratch out fine lines, one stroke at a time, until they form a dense pattern. Mistakes can't be erased or painted over, so a single slip could ruin the entire piece.
The technique had traditionally been applied to vessels with relatively regular surfaces, such as vases and cups. Applying it to a figurine was much more difficult, as the pattern had to flow continuously across its crown, dress, feet and sharply changing curves.
"Because of the difficulty, many craftspeople were reluctant to take on the figurine. Some said it simply could not be done," Xu recalled.
"We continued discussing the problem with them, breaking the process into smaller steps and testing different methods. Eventually, we succeeded in producing the entire batch," she said.
Xu told Xinhua that modern methods and repeated experimentation enable Jingdezhen's porcelain makers to keep refining their processes until they achieve the exact forms their customers desire.
For Xu, innovation does not mean discarding traditional craftsmanship. It means giving an established technique a new subject, function or audience.
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE
Jingdezhen's historical sites provided the material evidence supporting its World Heritage status. Its active workshops and ceramic communities, however, also made a strong impression during the evaluation process.
Weng recalled accompanying an expert from the International Council on Monuments and Sites during an on-site assessment.
"The expert was very moved to see that this porcelain heritage has survived until today, with so many active workshops and such a large community," Weng said. "Many heritage sites are static historical remains, but Jingdezhen is not."
This living production environment allows artists all around the world to come to the city and experiment with materials and firing methods that may be difficult to access elsewhere.
Russian-British artist Svetlana K-Liée said her work changed during her stay in Jingdezhen. In her first year, she experimented with applying materials to unfired porcelain and completing a piece in a single firing. In her second, she explored wood kilns. In her third, she began combining glass with ceramics.
"I never knew before coming to China that I could possibly use glass, mixing it with ceramics and glazes, so extensively," she said, describing the technique as "a happy discovery."
Hou Tiejun, professor at Jingdezhen Ceramic University, said the arrival of artists from different countries continues a pattern that has shaped the city throughout its history.
"Jingdezhen's strength has always been that craftspeople came from all directions," Hou said. "People from different places bring new ideas, new forms of business and concepts, giving the city new energy."
The city's complete production ecosystem is another important attraction, he said.
"Overseas, an artist may have to shape, paint and fire a piece alone," Hou said. "In Jingdezhen, even if you only have an idea and do not know how to make or fire it, someone can help you turn it into reality."
Hou said the broader significance of the World Heritage inscription lies not simply in demonstrating Jingdezhen's past achievements. The city's success in preserving traditional crafts while adapting them to modern life could serve as an example for other former ceramic-producing regions.
For Weng, the inscription also brings new responsibilities.
"You must protect these elements according to World Heritage standards," he said. "You must also interpret and transform them from the perspective of World Heritage, including their relationship with the present and with the local community." ■
