Of all of China's cultural icons, ceramics have had the most profound — and enduring — global influence. Jingdezhen, a city in east China's Jiangxi Province, is the pride of China's ceramic industry. Hailed as the "Porcelain Capital of the World," Jingdezhen was, for centuries, one of the most important centers for porcelain production in China. Its porcelain has long been an important cultural symbol — one through which the world learned about China, and through which China reached out to the world.
Earlier this year, Jiangxi Province unveiled eight study-tour routes — three centered on ceramics, and five on the region's famed ancient academies. The routes cover iconic cultural landmarks and historical sites in the province, and they offer a window, for young people and families with children, into Jiangxi's millennia-old legacy of porcelain artistry, and into the province's enduring tradition of Confucian scholarship.
Of the routes, the one to Jingdezhen — focused on its ceramic culture — holds particular appeal for families with children. Linking several of the city's most renowned attractions, the route weaves centuries-old kilns, artisan workshops and contemporary creative districts to create a vivid, and enduring, portrait of ceramic civilization. Women of China invites our readers to embark on a journey through Jingdezhen, to experience the timeless allure of the millennium-old "porcelain capital."
Jingdezhen boasts more than two millennia of pottery production. During ancient times, Jingdezhen served as a hub for official kilns, for more than a millennium, and as the site of imperial kilns, for more than 600 years. Porcelain produced in Jingdezhen have long been — and still are — celebrated for four distinctive qualities: They are "white as jade, bright as a mirror, thin as paper and sound like a bell (when tapped by a finger)."
For those who embark on the study tour of Jingdezhen, the Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum offers a natural place to start. In the museum, parents and their children can explore the city's glorious ceramic history, and they can appreciate the beauty of the porcelain.
As a museum dedicated to ceramics, it holds more than 50,000 pieces that span both millennia and a broad range of ceramic traditions — from Neolithic pottery to the porcelain masterpieces of successive dynasties. As children walk among the exhibits, observing how shapes and decorative patterns evolved over time, they come to understand the historical arc of China's ceramic industry.
Bringing Tradition to Life
The Ancient Kiln and Folk Customs Museum stands as a testament to the centuries old tradition of porcelain making, and it offers a fascinating glimpse into China's rich ceramic heritage.
As visitors stroll through the museum, they actually step back in time. The site features ancient porcelain workshops, and ancient kilns from the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The museum is a living space where traditional craftsmanship thrives. Artisans demonstrate time-honored, pottery-making techniques — shaping, trimming, painting and glazing — that bring centuries of ceramic tradition to life.
The museum also offers hands-on experiences for families. Parents and their children can create their own pottery, under the guidance of experienced artisans. Each family receives a memorable, and immersive, experience.
Another highlight along the route is the Imperial Kiln Scenic Area, where visitors can explore the grandeur of Jingdezhen's imperial ceramic tradition. In the scenic area, visitors can witness the complete 72 steps in the process of making porcelain — a craft perfected in the imperial kilns, which once served the royal courts of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
In the Present
Located in the heart of Jingdezhen's old town, Taoyangli historical and cultural district is a must-visit destination for families. During ancient times, it was the city's political, cultural and ceramic hub, as well as a residential center. Today, it is an open-air living museum, boasting well-preserved kiln clusters, millennia-old alleys, paved with kiln bricks, and a pottery community composed of traditional dwellings and workshops dating back more than 400 years. Artisans still craft porcelain, and demonstrate their techniques, in the traditional workshops. For families, walking through Taoyangli is like stepping into a living history book; the children, especially, can catch glimpses into the vibrant life, which flourished, centuries ago.
At the imperial kiln archaeological site in Taoyangli, children can look down through a glass walkway into the excavated ruins of a kiln, and they can watch as porcelain shards are unearthed from the soil. It is a live glimpse into history that no textbook can offer.
Modern Echoes
After tracing the city's ceramic history, the journey turns the participants toward the city's vibrant present — Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue, the most recent cultural landmark, and the signature of modern Jingdezhen. Taoxichuan stands on the grounds of the former State-run Universe Porcelain Factory, which was built during the 1950s. While preserving the original, industrial-era buildings, the site has been transformed into a vibrant cultural and creative district, which attracts young ceramic artists, from across the country, who are pursuing their creative dreams.
From Friday night to Sunday night, Taoxichuan comes alive. Its night market bustles with ceramic artists, young entrepreneurs and curious visitors. For children, wandering through the night market feels like they are exploring an open-air ceramic gallery. Picking out a playful ceramic creation to take home is often the highlight of the trip.
While Taoxichuan buzzes with creative energy, Sanbao International Ceramic Art Village, situated in the city's mountainous area, offers a quieter, more rustic experience. The village serves as an important hub for international ceramic cultural exchanges. Throughout the year, its art spaces host various contemporary ceramic exhibitions and artist-in-residence shows. These events draw artists, and visitors, from around the globe. It is an ideal place for children to immerse themselves in an artistic environment, and to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of rural life.
The study-tour route through Jingdezhen is more than just a trip; from ancient kilns to modern porcelain studios, Jingdezhen invites families to explore, create and carry home a piece of its living ceramic heritage.
Photos from VCG
(Women of China English Monthly July 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
