Seminar explores cultural heritage protection, ceramic innovation in Jingdezhen

Experts and representatives from the Chinese government, research institutions, media, and the ceramics industry gathered on Monday in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, to discuss the inheritance and innovation of ceramic culture after its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On July 25, the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 61st World Heritage site and the first centered on porcelain.

Zhang Long, head of Jingdezhen's publicity department, described the inscription as a starting point for the city to engage with the world. He said the upcoming tasks are "building a long-term conservation system, revitalizing heritage for contemporary value, and deepening cultural exchanges to amplify the brand effect of the World Heritage status."

An Cheng, a senior engineer at the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, believes that the city's value lies in the fact that it offers a narrative about China. "Jingdezhen enables the world to see that China is not only a 'hardcore' industrial powerhouse with superb craftsmanship and massive production capacity, but also a profoundly warm-hearted nation that transforms clay and fire into beauty," he said.

Fu Changmin, a national-level inheritor of famille-rose porcelain-making techniques, said that Jingdezhen thrives in its "living craftsmanship". Born and raised in the city, Fu is the fifth-generation successor to her family's ceramic tradition. "Here, visitors can not only see historic ruins, but also engage directly with living Chinese artisans," she said. "They come to my studio to watch me paint on porcelain and discuss the composition of Chinese and Western painting with me. This face-to-face exchange is far more persuasive than any brochure."

Being China's "capital of porcelain", Jingdezhen attracts thousands of young artists from across the country, as well as creators from abroad. Yann Colleu, a French ceramic artist, is one of them. He first came to the city in 2017 to attend a three-month academic exchange at Jingdezhen Ceramic University. Since then, he has become part of the international artist community.

"I felt that I had entered a city of living heritage — a genuinely living ceramic ecosystem," Colleu said. "What struck me immediately was that ceramic history was everywhere."

Colleu said he and other expats developed a relationship with the city as they learned from local masters. "When we return to our countries, participate in exhibitions, teaching, researching, or simply sharing our experiences, we naturally carry a part of Jingdezhen with us."