Jingdezhen - the renaissance of porcelain in China
BUSINESS
By Meng Yaping

2017-04-21 14:17 GMT+8

1186km to Beijing

By CGTN’s Chang Ting, Min-Zhui Lee
A decade ago, most of the graduating class from the celebrated Jingdezhen Ceramic Arts Institute left the city for opportunities draw on their talents elsewhere. Just a handful stayed.
Today, many of them are returning. The institute’s fresh graduates are choosing to remain. And not just that – young artists from all over the country are heading there.
The Pottery Workshop Creative Market. /CGTN Photo
Jingdezhen, a city in southeast China's Jiangxi Province, is known as the “Porcelain Capital of the World”. For centuries, it was a prolific production hub for mass-produced ceramics. Now, it is undergoing a renaissance, but the focus is more on individual expression.
The Pottery Workshop Creative Market. /CGTN Photo
The city has never lost touch with its porcelain history. Porcelain is still its lifeblood, and locals have retained the skills passed down through the generations to create world-class wares. But despite its reputation, in the past decade it has been very much in decline.
Porcelain factories were decommissioned and fell into disrepair, until a recent move to renovate them and transform them into workshops and art districts, attracting a hip and inventive crowd.
The Pottery Workshop Creative Market. /CGTN Photo
Every Saturday morning there is a creative market in Jingdezhen. The vendors are are emerging local artists, offering everything ceramic from ‍traditional to contemporary – vases, jewellery, sculptures – all innovative and unique.
The Pottery Workshop Creative Market. /CGTN Photo
The market draws in a sizeable swarm of pottery enthusiasts and arty types each week, and has been a catalyst for inspiring creativity and entrepreneurism in young ceramists. It has so far played a vital role in the revival of the porcelain industry, and ultimately, the renaissance of Jingdezhen.
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