New Ceramics by Jingdezhen Masters

Jingdezhen, often known as the "Ceramics Capital” of China, has been regarded as a synonym for Chinese porcelain.

Stuated in the northeastern part of Jiangxi Province in a small basin rich in fine kaolin, the town is hemmed in by mountains which keep it supplied with firewood from their conifers. The residents there began to produce ceramics during the Eastern Han Dynasty as early as 1,800 years ago. During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong (1004-1007) of the the Song Dynasty, the town was commissioned to produce porcelain for the imperial court, with the special insignia at the bottom of the vessels “Made in the reign of Jingde." From then on people began to call all chinaware with such inscriptions "porcelain of Jingdezhen."

During the Ming and Qing dynasties from the 14th to the 19th century, the skill was perfected, the quality more refined and government kilns were set up to cater exclusively to the need of the imperial court.

Wu Chungui is a professor of the Jiangxi Industrial Institute for Research of Ceramic Art. He will be displaying the works created by masters of the Institute and give a lecture/talk on “Appreciation of Ceramic Arts from the History of China”.