[Explanation] Standing in front of the kiln, Chen Zhenyun put on his hat and gloves, picked up the rake, smashed the mound, unloaded the bricks, then bent down into the kiln and carefully took out the fired porcelain . Jiangle County is an important hometown of ceramics in Fujian, with kiln sites all over the territory, and fine works of past dynasties are stacked. Jiangle kiln is an important representative of ancient Chinese ceramic art. Deep in the mountains, the Chenji Chai Kiln Ceramic Factory run by Chen Zhenyun and his father Chen Keyu still make ceramics by hand. Chen Ji Chai Kiln has also become one of the few stepped dragon kilns currently burning. A few days ago, the reporter drove to Danangeng Village, Jiangle County, Fujian Province to visit the century-old craftsmanship in the deep mountains.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhenyun, non-genetic inheritor of Leda Nankeng ceramic firing skills
After the brick is burned, we will open the door of the kiln before we can go in and get things. The five chambers are burnt together, and we burn for about 26 hours. In each chamber, we can control a different temperature and a different atmosphere. We mainly burn blue and white porcelain in this warehouse.
[Explanation] Chen Zhenyun, born in 1986, has watched his grandfather making ceramics since he was 7 years old, and his long-term experience has made him have a keen interest in this skill. After graduating from university, he has been working in Xiamen. After struggling for many years, in 2013, Chen Zhenyun resolutely quit his high-paying job in Xiamen and returned to Danangeng, Jiangle County, to inherit the ceramics business with his father.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhenyun, non-genetic inheritor of Leda Nankeng ceramic firing skills
One soil can be turned into porcelain, and it can be turned into different types of porcelain, different shapes of porcelain, for example, both physical and chemical reactions occur. This is its charm. Then we have been doing ceramics for generations, and we have done it for nine generations in my generation, and we have been doing this for a living, and then we want to keep doing it.
[Explanation] Chen Ji Chai Kiln Ceramic Factory was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of more than 300 years. Chen Zhenyun told reporters that generations of people in the family have used firewood to burn kilns here. This craft has been passed down to this day. It has been nearly 60 years. Making ceramics is an extremely hard work. Chen Zhenyun started from the basics, followed his father from the most basic smelting, drawing, and repairing, and devoted himself to studying.
[Explanation] The production of Danankeng firewood kiln ceramics requires more than 60 processes such as drawing, repairing, drying, painting, glazing, and kiln firing, among which firing is the most critical part, using mixed wood and pine wood to the kiln The firewood is imported inside, and the mastery of the fire depends entirely on the experience of the master. The reporter saw that the glaze of the fired porcelain was subtle and moist, and the porcelain was as white as jade.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhenyun, non-genetic inheritor of Leda Nankeng ceramic firing skills
We generally burn blue-white porcelain at a temperature of about 1300 (degrees Celsius). Based on the experience passed down from generation to generation, we mainly observe the changes in the fire with the naked eye, which can be seen from here, and we can just throw the firewood into the hole. You can see that there is also a fire hole in the tail of our fire, which can also be seen.
[Explanation] With the changes of the times, wood kilns have long been replaced by gas kilns and electric kilns. In addition to making pottery work and less expensive, many young people are reluctant to learn. However, Chen Zhenyun and his father still adhere to this ancient craft in the mountains, and he also hopes to pass on this craft through his own efforts.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhenyun, non-genetic inheritor of Leda Nankeng ceramic firing skills
We have to pass on the experience of our previous generations, take the good things before, continue to carry forward it by hand and make it meticulously, and then we have to embark on the road of industry and be able to make it even bigger.
Wu Shengwei and Dong Guansheng report from Sanming, Fujian
Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]