Ceramic connections

Growth hub

Chinese ceramic boasts a long history — it was a major commodity on the ancient Silk Road, making up a significant portion of the goods from imperial China that were traded.

Jingdezhen, the celebrated ceramics hub, is now being positioned as a national cultural inheritance and innovation pilot zone for the industry.

In line with the Belt and Road Initiative, efforts are also being made to leverage the rich ceramic heritage, including promoting cross-cultural cooperation on ceramic arts via national-level exhibitions.

The annual China (Beijing) International Ceramics Exhibition alone attracts more than 400 major participants, including British, Thai, and Japanese artists.

At the event in July, master engraver Shi Shangjian, 52, told reporters that he had been practicing traditional engraving techniques since he was 13.

"Ceramic art is about learning, adapting, and creating," Shi says, pointing to an artwork with intricate butterfly designs.