Master kilnman Hu Jiawang and his son Hu Haitao collaborated to conduct the opening ceremony of Jiahai wood-burning kiln in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province on Jan 1. Together, they pushed open the kiln door, unveiling exquisite pieces of porcelain that had withstood the intense heat of 1,300 C and undergone the meticulous craftsmanship of 72 porcelain-making processes.

The ceremony drew ceramic enthusiasts and art collectors from various cities, including Beijing, Tianjin and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.

As a national intangible cultural heritage inheritor, Hu Jiawang possesses techniques and knowledge required for achieving a wide range of color glazes for ceramics. He has devoted his life to studying the ancient craftsmanship passed down over a millennium in Jingdezhen, known as "the capital of porcelain". To him, each firing represents an exploration and a tribute to the beauty of nature.

"In the beginning, it was for livelihood, but it later became a part of life and a profession I longed for. As long as I can move, I will persist, promoting it widely and contributing to Jingdezhen's global outreach," he says.

His son, Hu Haitao, who follows in his father's footsteps, adds that Jingdezhen ceramics are highly respected in the international market due to their unique Chinese elements and profound cultural heritage. He is committed to transforming national culture into an international artistic language and enhancing porcelain-making efficiency through scientific and technological advancements to achieve innovative inheritance.

In recent years, Jingdezhen has actively promoted the transformation and upgrading of the ceramic industry, attracting more young artists and designers to join the trade, injecting new vitality into Jingdezhen ceramics.

A scene from the opening ceremony of Jiahai Kiln.

[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

来源：中国日报网

Source: chinadaily.com.cn

校对：唐婷玉

Proofread by: Tang Tingyu

编辑：黄乔珺

Edited by: Huang Qiaojun

复审：占妍

Reviewed by: Zhan Yan

终审：陈俊绮

Final Reviewed by: Chen Junqi