Int’l ceramists offer suggestions for Yunnan ceramic industry

Ceramists from Australia, Japan and South Korea conducted an investigation tour in Hongta District, Huaning County and Jianshui County of SW China’s Yunnan Province recently, offering suggestions for development of Yunnan’s ceramic industry.

With abundant ceramic resources, Yunnan is famous for its ceramic artworks in China. The white ceramic of Yiliang County, glazed ceramic of Huaning County, black ceramic of Shangri-La City…… just name few, are popular among ceramists and consumers in the country.

However, as Yunnan is promoting the integration between tourism and culture, how to inject vitality into the development of traditional ceramic industry in the province is much talked.

“Yunnan ceramic has a long history. Kilns in Hongta and Huaning impressed me as their architecture and craftsmanship are all in traditional Chinese style,” said Maree, a ceramist from Australia.

She added that owners of the kilns have combined ancient craftsmanship with modern ideals, so she suggested them to focus on the most advanced technology and fashionable trend for the sources of inspirations.

Mr. Shen Zheng Shun, a ceramist from South Korea said that development of ceramic industry in Huaning County had to keep up pace with that of local tourism. He suggested that ceramic making could be included in the design of travel routes to bring more personalized experiences for tourits. In this way, tourists could know more about the ceramic history and DIY artworks.

For the development of purple pottery in Jianshui, the ceramists advised the local government to launch more public welfare programs to train more experienced workers.

By Han Yi, Li Qiu Ying and Duan Qiyu; trans-editing by Li Hengqiang