Pottery and ceramics have flourished through several epochs from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in cities like Shiwan in Guangdong Province, Yixing in Jiangsu Province and Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province.
But the most famous is Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province, which was in its prime during the Qing Dynasty and remains internationally acclaimed.
It produces a variety of pottery and ceramics including thin-layered and colored glazed ceramics.
There are several steps involved in making a piece of pottery including modeling, glazing and firing.
Until September, the Regal Shanghai East Asia Hotel is offering a demonstration of the process by professional artists including Ne Lechun, whose subjects include birds, animals, trees, grass and flowers.
These works have beautiful shapes, good balance between action and stillness and a rich flavour of life.
(Shanghai Star 08/06/2001)
