China News Service, Shijiazhuang, October 29 (Pei Guorong and Xing Lu) Far mountains, near water, ceramic tiles and blue bricks.
Walking through Nanhengkou Village, Jingxing County, Hebei Province, full of caged wall houses, ancient porcelain kilns, and village roads built in shape attract tourists from outside to stop and take a closer look.
"The cage helmet is a thing that is used back and forth, and it breaks after a few times. The common people use this thing to build houses. The advantage is that it keeps heat in winter, keeps cool in summer, and is also moisture-proof and moisture-proof." said Ma Changxi, party branch secretary of Nanhengkou Village. The "cage helmet" is a sagger, a kind of kiln furniture used in ceramic production.
Ancient porcelain kiln site in Nanhengkou.
Photo courtesy of respondents
The area of Nanhengkou Village was once the main kiln site of the "Jingxing Kiln", one of the famous porcelain kilns in northern China, and the birthplace of the ceramic industry and handicraft industry in Jingxing County.
In the past, the ceramic industry in Nanhengkou was very developed, and almost every family had a kiln. As a result, there were countless abandoned saggers in the village, and these saggers were turned into treasures by the villagers and were widely used in the village's buildings.
"After being tempered in the kiln fire, the texture of the cage helmet has become very hard." Ma Changxi said, the cage helmet made of refractory materials is mainly used to place ceramic utensils and green bodies in the process of firing ceramics. Among them, to prevent gas, dust and other substances from causing damage to the ceramic body and glaze, it is generally discarded after being fired many times.
The appearance of Nanhengkou Village.
Photo courtesy of respondents
The reporter saw in Nanhengkou Village that in addition to the remaining ancient porcelain kilns, walls and houses built with cage helmets can be seen everywhere, and a large number of abandoned cage helmets have become natural tools for planting flowers and plants.
In recent years, the village has built an overall Ming and Qing style ceramic water town with the concept of repairing the old as before, relying on the original porcelain kilns, ancient dwellings and other characteristic resources.
Nowadays, the retaining walls, houses, courtyard walls, and "mantou kiln" in the village have become popular spots for tourists to take pictures and "check in".
"This is our ceramic kiln. Now it burns natural gas and electricity. The former'mantou kiln' used coal and firewood." Ma Changxi said that the porcelain kiln in the village now not only produces ceramics, but also old artists. Visitors teach ceramic making hands-on.
The Nanhengkou ancient porcelain kiln site is rich in stratum, and the chronology is continuous and complete. The earliest ancient kiln remains can be found in the Jin and Yuan dynasties. The existing kiln remains were all built during the Qing Dynasty or the Republic of China.
The local "mantou kiln" is relatively well-preserved and unique in Hebei, and it is the only one in the country.
Relying on tourism development, the ceramic industry in this thousand-year-old village has been basically restored, not only re-promoting the Jingxing kiln skills, but also providing many jobs for the villagers.
"In the past, there were 14 households with 24 people in the village who were poor. After the ceramic water town was built, those who were able would take part-time jobs in the village. The old, weak, sick and disabled who couldn't do it. The village had industry dividends to get rid of poverty. There are a lot of them," Ma Changxi said.
According to reports, there are 22 characteristic homestays in Nanhengkou Village that are used to receive tourists. Not only have they built a ceramic experience hall, but the fired utensils are exported to Japan, South Korea and other countries.
The once prosperous Nanhengkou ceramic manufacturing industry and the glory of the Jingxing kiln are now reappearing in new forms.
(Finish)