Ancient porcelain city embraces global openness and creative innovation

Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), ceramics crafted in Jingdezhen have been exported to Central Asia, West Asia, Europe and Africa. Today, the city still retains its global appeal, drawing more than 5,000 ceramic enthusiasts like May from around the world at peak times.

"Jingdezhen is like an unfolding world map of ceramic culture, and every person who loves ceramics can find a place of their own," says Qurat ul Ain from Pakistan, who is pursuing a doctoral degree at Jingdezhen Ceramic University.

She says she once struggled to decide on a research direction. "Pakistan also has an ancient history of pottery-making, but there are no local doctoral programs related to ceramics, nor much systematic research in the field.

"It was my mentor who encouraged me to focus on the research of ceramic culture in my country," she says. "Jingdezhen not only has a profound history but also an open international exchange program."

As early as 2015, the Taoxichuan cultural and creative district in Jingdezhen launched the Migratory Bird Program, an international artist residency initiative. The program has sent invitations to art institutions in more than 50 countries and regions, attracting 3,600 artists from around the world.

The district holds fairs of various sizes regularly. About 28,600 craftspeople have set up stalls there, with an average age of just 28.

Matt Watterson, a 31-year-old American ceramic artist, enjoys strolling through the city's fairs, where he often finds old ceramic fragments to incorporate into his own creations.

"I can turn my creativity into works by collaborating with the locals here, which is very fulfilling," he says. In his view, the locals' openness and friendliness represent the vibe of this city.

Jingdezhen, with a population of more than 1.6 million, has recorded a net population inflow of 136,000 over the past decade. Among those who have started long-term businesses in the city, more than half come from outside Jiangxi province or even from overseas.

Thanks to increasingly convenient visa-free policies, Jaume Ribalta, a Spanish potter born in the 1990s, was able to invite his parents from his hometown in Spain to Jingdezhen.

"This is the farthest journey my parents have traveled so far. I entertained them in my rural studio in Xianghu village," he says. "I also took them to decorate their own ceramic works and helped them understand the culture of the millennia-old porcelain capital."

After traveling to 20 countries, May finally chose Jingdezhen as the place to realize his ideas. Recently, he has been working to expand his studio.

"I sold all my belongings and came to this city," he says. "I never thought that this place was so inclusive before I came here."