Chinanews.com, Juye, Shandong, November 21 (Xiao Shouxiang) "Fired pottery seals are formed by the natural blending of fire and soil at high temperatures. Each piece of work is a 'surprise' of random changes in the kiln fire, which is very precious. An orphan." On November 21, in a small farmyard in Zhuyandun Village, Tianqiao Town, Juye County, Shandong Province, Jiang Jitao, the inheritor of Heze Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage Project, opened the firewood kiln carefully, and a batch of The pottery products that are warm and lustrous and exude a simple atmosphere are born in the kiln.

After 28 hours of firing, a batch of pottery products that are warm, lustrous and exuding a simple atmosphere were born.

Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Juye County Party Committee

  In 1999, after Jiang Jitao came into contact with firewood pottery seals for the first time, he became very interested in this ancient pottery making process. In 2000, he followed his master Xu Longcang to learn the firewood pottery seal making skills.

As the fourth generation inheritor of firewood-fired pottery seals in Juye County, Jiang Jitao has studied hard, from mud mixing to seal cutting, to firing, every process has been painstakingly worked hard, and every detail has been carefully carved. One drop of Zhongbai is smelted into steel, and each piece of exquisite wood-fired pottery is made.

The production process of wood-fired pottery seals combines calligraphy, painting, hand-sculpture and other skills.

Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Juye County Party Committee

  "Tao Yin is an ancient pottery firing technique. With the development of modern pottery technology, firewood pottery printing has almost been lost in Juye." Yao Jiping, section chief of cultural relics and intangible cultural heritage of Juye County Culture and Tourism Bureau, introduced that pottery Originating in the prehistoric period 8,000 years ago, India is an important cultural carrier in the course of human history and an important branch of traditional Chinese seal cutting art.

Juye wood-fired pottery printing technique originated in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. For hundreds of years, this ancient technique has been propagated and inherited in the local area, taking root and sprouting.

Firewood pottery printing has been handed down from master to apprentice from generation to generation, and has a distinct characteristic of master-in-training. Most of the processing is manual, and many processes cannot be replaced by modern mechanical methods.

Firewood pottery printing has been handed down from master to apprentice from generation to generation, with distinct characteristics of master-inheritance, and most of the processing is manual.

Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Juye County Party Committee

  "Taoyin has very high requirements for kiln firing technology. It is mainly based on experience to check the heat and time to control its temperature. Now the temperature should be between 1250°C and 1300°C, which is the highest temperature. Glaze color." Jiang Jitao casually picked up a firewood vase.

The secret to the success of wood-fired works is to properly handle the relationship between soil, fire, firewood, and kiln. If the temperature is not suitable, the pottery seals fired will not achieve the expected effect.

"Look, this vase is full of glaze and looks plump and round."

The production process of wood-fired pottery seals combines calligraphy, painting, hand-sculpture and other skills.

Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Juye County Party Committee

  Jiang Jitao said that the production process of wood-fired pottery seals combines calligraphy, painting, hand-sculpture and other skills.

"The production process of pottery seals mainly includes the procedures of soil selection, soil preparation, filtration, precipitation, button making, drying, polishing, seal cutting, entering the kiln, and firing. It is not only necessary to be proficient in calligraphy and seal cutting, but also to be familiar with carving methods, kiln firing, etc. .” Jiang Jitao introduced while holding a carving knife.

The sharp tip of the knife keeps moving on the pottery seal, blowing away the floating dust, and a simple firewood pottery seal is completed.

Jiang Jitao combines local traditional cultural elements to innovate and fire pottery.

Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Juye County Party Committee

  In order to adapt to the development of the times and the market demand, Jiang Jitao, on the basis of tradition, also incorporated traditional cultural elements such as unicorns and peonies, and innovatively fired new pottery seals such as Zen pottery seals, ancient decorative pottery seals, auspicious animal pottery seals and large seals. A series of works of firewood-fired pottery have formed the artistic characteristics of simple appearance, round color and heavy texture, which are loved by the majority of calligraphy and painting lovers and recognized by the market.

Jiang Jitao also improved the kiln by referring to the style of the smokeless kiln, which improved the firing quality and yield of pottery seals, and inherited the ancient pottery print skills while keeping integrity and innovation.

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