The Re-burning of Jingdezhen’s Yuan Dynasty Steamed Bun Kiln 800 Years Ago

 　　October in autumn is the harvest season. In order to carry forward the long porcelain-making history of Jingdezhen, to pass on the traditional porcelain-making techniques, and to highlight Jingdezhen’s porcelain development over more than a thousand years, the ignition ceremony of Jingdezhen’s Yuan Dynasty steamed bun kiln was held in the Ancient Kiln Folk-custom Exposition Zone in the morning of October 20, 2011 during the 8th China Jingdezhen International Ceramics Exposition. The head of Beijing Guanfu Museum and famous ceramic connoisseur, Mr. Ma Weidu, came to Jingdezhen again to light the kiln fire of the Yuan Dynasty steamed bun kiln in person after he lit the Qing Dynasty town kiln last time. Many leaders, distinguished guests and experts were invited to attend this ignition ceremony, including Wang Xiaofeng, the head of Jiangxi Provincial Tourism Bureau, Deng Baosheng, Jingdezhen Party Committee Secretary, Mei Yi, the Municipal Standing Committee Member and , Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary, Wang Ligeng, the Municipal Standing Committee Member and the head of publicity administration, Shi Wenbin, the Municipal Standing Committee Member and Minister of Organization, Yu Zhentai, the deputy director of the Standing Committee of Municipal People’s Congress and Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, Dai Qiwen, the deputy director of the Municipal People’s Congress, Fang Fuchun, the deputy mayor, and Wang Zuqing, the Vice Chairman of Municipal CPPCC. The ignition ceremony was hosted by Wang Ligeng.
　
　　With the Yuan Dynasty Kiln, the Ming Dynasty Gourd Kiln and Qing Dynasty Town Kiln were lit at the same time. At this time, the three kilns of Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties were ignited at the same time, which can be described as a dialogue with the millennium civilizations crossing time and space. It is learned that the Yuan Dynasty steamed bun kiln is one of the typical kilns in Jingdezhen over Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties. With the continuous exploration by Jingdezhen’s kiln workers, the shaping skills and firing techniques of the Yuan Dynasty steamed kiln has achieved the highest level of the traditional porcelain-making among such kind of kilns.
　
　　Deng Baosheng said in the ignition ceremony that the cultural heritage protection has been one of the important works of both the municipal government and municipal party committee, and the Jingdezhen ceramic kiln techniques listed in the national intangible cultural heritage is the strong evidence of the successful cultural heritage protection work in our city. The Ancient Kiln Folk-custom Exposition Zone, as our city’s heritage base of ceramic kiln techniques, has successfully re-burned the Qing Dynasty town kiln and Ming Dynasty gourd kiln since 2009. Deng Baosheng thinks that the series re-burning is the dynamic protection of the ancient porcelain-making kilns, which can contribute greatly to the protection and inheritance of the intangible cultural heritage. At this time, the ancient kilns of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties will be ignited and re-burned at the same time, which is a true reproduction of Jingdezhen’s glorious history. Subsequently, Deng Baosheng announced the opening of ignition and re-burning of the ancient kilns of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.
　
　　Ma Weidu said in the ceremony, “Jingdezhen is a place I often visit, because when I understand the Chinese ceramic history, I have understood the history of China.” Ma Weidu said that the recently held 17th Session of 6th CCP Plenary Conference emphasized the significance of being a culture-powerful state, and it is of great importance for Jingdezhen to hold this ceramics exposition and to re-burn the ancient kilns of Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties at this time. He said that he was greatly honored to attend this event in Jingdezhen.

　　It is learned that the re-burned Yuan Dynasty steamed bun kiln at this time will be opened on October 23 with a certification ceremony. This re-burning even has attracted reporters from scores of media to come here for news report, such as Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, CCTV, etc.

Jingdezhen kiln folk exhibition zone June burning series activity announcement