2026 Jingdezhen Forum kicks off, linking heritage dialogue with youthful creativity

The 2026 Jingdezhen Forum, themed Dialogue between World Heritage and Civilizations, is in full swing in Taoxichuan, the iconic cultural district of Jingdezhen, a city in east China's Jiangxi Province, renowned worldwide as the porcelain capital of China.

The high-level main forum brings together global scholars, diplomats and heritage practitioners to discuss the preservation, inheritance and cross-cultural communication of China's millennia-old ceramic heritage. It serves as a key platform for exchanging global insights on world heritage protection and cross-civilization dialogue.

Parallel to the main session, a vibrant Gen-Z Forum invites young creators from China and abroad to share fresh, grassroots ideas for promoting ceramic culture worldwide. The youth-focused session injects modern perspectives and innovative thinking into traditional heritage communication.

Located in a historic area renovated from abandoned porcelain factories, Taoxichuan blends elite academic dialogue with down-to-earth artistic vitality. After sunset, the district transforms into a bustling night market filled with exquisite ceramic works crafted through diverse traditional and modern techniques.

Young local "Jingdezhen drifters" and international artists known as "foreign Jingdezhen drifters" set up stalls at the market. Their original ceramic creations, which blend diverse artistic styles and techniques, offer a tangible expression of the cultural exchange discussed at the forum.

The event highlights how Jingdezhen's centuries-old porcelain heritage is being renewed through youthful creativity and cross-cultural exchange, bridging tradition with modernity and connecting China with the world.