Jiang Chengliang: "Wucai Orchid Draw/Pattern Series" and "Qinghua Wucai Nandou Draw/ Pattern Series" (Department of Ceramic Design)

Throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties up to the present day, over glaze wucai (five-color) porcelain has constantly been evolving. "I try to give full play to the characteristics of wucai decoration from the perspectives of traditional wucai decoration techniques and color relations," young artist Jiang Chengliang said. "Combined with original designs and patterns, I created wucai works with both traditional charm and modern decorative features."

Jiang's research is based on the various decorative techniques that have appeared throughout the long evolution of traditional wucai, which he analyzed, summarizing its technical features and artistic effects.

On the basis of fully mastering the traditional multicolored decorative techniques, Jiang based his works on the numerous decorative techniques in traditional wucai, combined with innovative designs and patterns while utilizing traditional decorative skills. During the creative process, his main aims were to express the relationship between colors and decorative features, explore the full range of porcelain decoration techniques, and to create new wucai decorative techniques.

His supervisor, associate professor Zhang Xing, believes that Jiang's research into traditional ceramic decoration techniques is not only of academic value, but also of practical significance in promoting traditional culture and exploring innovative ideas today. 

Jiang's dissertation incorporated a wide range of documents, with reasonable and effective research methods, allowing him to gain a deep understanding of traditional Ming and Qing glaze decoration. At the same time, on the basis of the oretical research and through creative practice - from modeling and decoration to firing processes - he independently completed multiple sets of glazed decorative art works.

"The composition of the creative practice works is ingenious, the patterns and shapes are adapted, and the colorful lines are also highlighted, which are stretched and powerful, filling the expressive imageswith vigor. In terms of coloring, they fully reflect the traditional wucai artistic ideas, and interpret the characteristics of traditional ceramic decoration," Jiang's mentor said.

"Innovation needs to be based on tradition," Jiang concluded. "If you want to deeply understand tradition, you need to study traditional crafts and culture in depth. For wucai porcelain decoration, you cannot truly understand tradition without doing it yourself."

He added: "Today, as national cultural self-confidence is being advocated, it is of great significance for the inheritance and development of wucai when we are able to make good use of traditional decorative techniques for modern porcelain decoration design."