China News Service, Jinhua, January 29 (Dong Yixin) "My apprentices have all started to take care of apprentices. In the new year, I hope to continue to take more apprentices to go overseas, and move towards a larger international stage with Wuzhou Kiln ." As the Lunar New Year approaches, Chen Xinhua, the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage (Wuzhou Kiln Firing Technique) and the president of the Jinhua Xinlianhui Art Creation Branch, said in an interview with China News Service.
Chen Xinhua, the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage (Wuzhou kiln firing techniques) and the president of the Jinhua Xinlianhui Art Creation Branch, was interviewed by China News Service. Photo by Dong Yixin
Wuzhou kiln was founded in the Eastern Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties. In the Tang Dynasty, Wuzhou kilns were named after the state where the main kilns were located. They were mainly distributed in Jinhua and Quzhou, Zhejiang. Chen Xinhua summarized its characteristics as "both the richness of pottery and the warmth of porcelain."
"In 1973, one year after graduating from high school, I was assigned to be an apprentice in a ceramics factory. It has been 51 years now." Chen Xinhua said, recalling the experience of "first recognizing" Wuzhou kiln porcelain. He was once attracted by its roughness and simplicity. "Somewhat disgusted." Little did he know that he had been dealing with "this earth color" for most of his life.
Like Chen Xinhua, there are many people who have a "prejudice" in their initial impression of Wuzhou kiln. The craftsmen prefer to make "delicate" blue and white porcelain. Based on this, Chen Xinhua decided to adopt the "human sea tactic" for the inheritance of Wuzhou kiln.
“In addition to relying on social forces to open more community training classes and interest groups, we have also connected with many universities and launched popularization and promotion activities such as elective courses and clubs, hoping to tap more people from a larger base. There are no available talents who are interested and willing to study." Chen Xinhua said.
The move actually worked. Up to now, the Wuzhou kiln talent echelon led by Chen Xinhua has extended to the fifth generation.
Wuzhou kiln porcelain. Photo by Dong Yixin
"Among them, some students went to study abroad and brought utensils made from Wuzhou kilns. This incident also inspired me." Chen Xinhua said that more than two thousand years ago, Wuzhou kilns were not only in the form of large objects It is for people to watch, and it is also for people to use as cups, dishes and bottles. Porcelain for daily use is closer to people's lives, and market-oriented behavior makes it easier to spread the Wuzhou kiln culture carried by porcelain to a wider range, and even spread it overseas.
Chen Xinhua said frankly that at present, the sales of Wuzhou kiln tea cups and tea sets are good at home and abroad. When going overseas to participate in exhibitions and exchanges, he also hopes to keep the porcelain locally and "tell" the past and present life of Wuzhou Kiln to more people.
"The world must first know China without a piece of porcelain. There are many types of Chinese porcelain. After going overseas, some similar types of porcelain are easy to confuse, and some inheritors will change their production techniques and products over time. Style. However, Wuzhou kiln has been developed for more than two thousand years, and its format has almost never changed." Chen Xinhua said, this not only shows the stability of the inheritance of Wuzhou kiln, but also reflects the continuity and continuity of China's excellent traditional culture. Continuity. (over)