See the Elegance of One of the Four Most Famous Potteries in China

Jianshui County is a culture-nourished town on the border of Yunnan Province with a history of more than 1,200 years. Jianshui Purple Pottery, known also as the “Jade in Southern Yunnan”, is a traditional folk craft of the county and one of the “Four Most Famous Potteries of China”. In 2008, Jianshui Purple Pottery making technique was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

The Jianshui pottery is made through mud making, hand shaping, wet surface designing, carving, high temperature firing, and unglazed polishing. The clay used in Jianshui pottery is purple in color, hence the name “purple pottery”. The finished pot is lead-free, non-toxic, with good air permeability, a surface as smooth as a mirror, and a sound as crisp as a chime when one taps the surface. Jianshui pottery is often decorated with traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting, which makes the pot simple and elegant.

Producer: Yang Gu

Chief Supervisor: Chen Jiandong, Song Leyong

Chief Planner: Che Jingwen, Jin Linghan

Script Writer: Yue Pei

Coordinator: Zhou Shuodi, Tao Yanyan, Yang Jingyi

Co-produced by: China Internet Development Foundation and GMW.cn