Huaning: Ceramics with a history of more than 600 years

With a ceramic history of more than 600 years, Huaning is getting popular with the outside world with its exquisite ceramics, which has made its way to become a new force of cultural tourism industry in Yunnan Province.

Located in central Yunnan’s Yuxi City, Huaning County is famous for its ceramics. According to historical records, the ceramic-making history in Huaning dates back more than 600 years. In 1396, Che Peng, a pottery craftsman from Jingdezhen, a “town of ceramics” in east China’s Jiangxi, moved to Huaning, built kilns and made ceramics. This is regarded as the beginning of Huaning ceramics. And Che Peng is regarded as its founder.

In Huanning, local people harvest clay from the nearby hills. They source available minerals and hand-blend their own glazes. Intense blues and greens are a common theme. These provide a beautiful contrast to both their white clay and the deep red of their iron rich clay. 

The Wayao Village is the place where Huaning ceramics are in mass production. There are 380 households in the village and all of them earn their living by making pottery wares. There is also a temple in the village where people worship the“kiln god”. Every year, from February 8 to 15 on the Chinese lunar calendar, all the craftsmen from Huaning will gather at the temple and hold sacrifice ceremony to pay their respect to the “kiln god” and pray for a good harvest in their pottery making. 

Today, Huaning is getting popular with the outside world with its ceramics of a long history. Many tourists, both at home and abroad, come to Huaning to experience the exquisite pottery making. Huaning ceramics now has made its way to become a new force of cultural tourism industry in Yunnan Province. 

Photos: Yunnan Daily; Editor: Wang Shixue