Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.
4 min readWhat comes to mind first when you hear the name Jiangxi?
Ask people on the other side of the world, and the answer may often be just two words:
Porcelain.
The English word for porcelain is “china,” while China is also the name of our country.
The two share the same spelling and historical origin. The difference in capitalization reflects something special about Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province.
On July 25 this year, the “Jingdezhen Traditional Handicraft Porcelain Industry Heritage” was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, capturing global attention.
International movie star Jackie Chan also appeared in a video introducing Jingdezhen to audiences around the world, showcasing its traditional craftsmanship, beautiful landscapes, and distinctive artistic culture.
Here, tradition has never simply remained in the past.
Instead, it continues to evolve, finding new forms of expression in the modern world.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
What kind of city is Jingdezhen, after all?
The answer can be found in its remarkably complete porcelain industry chain.
The “Jingdezhen Traditional Handicraft Porcelain Industry Heritage” is far more than a single kiln or historical site. It represents a complete handcrafted porcelain production system, covering everything from the extraction of raw materials to the production of porcelain and its eventual export overseas.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
The Ancient Hutian Porcelain Kiln Site
At the heart of this historic production system is the Ancient Hutian Porcelain Kiln Site, once a core porcelain production area of Jingdezhen.
Together with the Gaoling Porcelain Clay Mine Site, Changling Porcelain Stone Mine Site, and Jiaotan Firewood Supply Area for kilns, the heritage property consists of five major zones.
These include 15 component groups and 45 heritage sites, comprehensively preserving the complete handcrafted porcelain industrial chain that developed between the 10th and 19th centuries.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Ancient Gaoling Village
Perhaps what touches visitors most is the fact that the kiln fire here has never truly gone out.
At the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum, visitors can see the famous “Broken Duck” porcelain from the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty.
The piece failed to pass the royal inspection at the time and was subsequently smashed and buried deep underground. Centuries later, restorers carefully pieced together more than 60 fragments, bringing this remarkable piece of history back into view.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum
At Taoxichuan, an old porcelain factory has been transformed into a vibrant cultural and creative district.
Every weekend, hundreds of tents line the streets as young designers gather to display and sell their latest creations.
The old factory has taken on a new role, becoming a meeting point for traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design, and creative entrepreneurship.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Block
Source: Official WeChat Account of Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Block
At Sanbao International Ceramic Valley, studios are built alongside the stream.
Visitors can try their hand at pottery throwing, experience glass blowing, or simply cycle through the valley. The area offers enough activities to turn a visit into an entire afternoon of leisure and discovery.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Sanbao International Ceramic Valley
Source: Xiaohongshu @Stephen_佘
At Yaoli Ancient Town, the famous line “The sky is blue, waiting for misty rain” seems to come to life.
Ancient bridges, narrow lanes, old trees, and ancestral halls appear at almost every turn. Even today, the town's thousand-year-old water-powered trip hammer remains in operation, offering a direct connection to its industrial past.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Yaoli Ancient Town
Source: Xiaohongshu @Wenjing
Why Jingdezhen?
The city has more than 2,000 years of pottery-making history, over 1,000 years of official kiln history, and more than 600 years of imperial kiln history.
Today, Jingdezhen is home to dozens of intangible cultural heritage traditions and tens of thousands of artisans. Nearly one-quarter of the city's urban population still works with clay every day.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Handcrafted Porcelain
“Artisans come from all quarters; wares travel across the world.”
This traditional saying remains remarkably relevant today.
Jingdezhen has a permanent population of more than one million and is home to approximately 60,000 “Jingpiao” — people who come from elsewhere to live, work, and create in the city. Around 80% of them are young people.
The city's openness to creative talent has also attracted artists from around the world. Through the Migratory Bird Project, more than 3,000 artists from over 50 countries and regions have come to Jingdezhen for residency and creative work.
[Jackie Chan is introducing Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province to the world.]
Foreign Jingpiao in Jingdezhen
Source: Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Block
Come to Jingdezhen, and you can wait for a kiln to be fired and witness the moment it is opened at Xu Family Kiln.
It is there that you can experience the magic of the traditional saying:
“One hue goes into the kiln, myriad colors emerge.”
At night in Taoxichuan, you may also receive a one-of-a-kind piece created by a young designer.
This is Jingdezhen today.
It is a city where ancient kiln fires continue to burn, where traditional craftsmanship is passed from one generation to the next, and where artists from around the world come together to create.
Here, porcelain is more than a craft.
It is a bridge connecting history and modern life, China and the world, tradition and innovation.
www.orientalporcelainart.com
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