Spirit of Porcelain: Contemporary Ceramic Sculptors from Jingdezhen

Author: Yu Shiliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: This book takes the bronze sculpture "Hymn to Porcelain Workers" located in the People's Square of Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital, as its starting point. It provides an artistic description of Jingdezhen's manual porcelain-making techniques, folk customs, and the 10 creators of the sculpture. Accompanied by more than 300 photographs on ceramic culture, the manuscript becomes a rich, detailed, and vividly presented monograph on sculpture in the history of Jingdezhen, showcasing its unique charm. As a significant part of ceramic art, ceramic sculpture has long been underrepresented in literature focusing on the lives and achievements of sculptors in the porcelain capital. Most existing works have been picture books, and the publication of "Soul of Porcelain" fills the gap in books that document the life trajectories of ceramic sculptors through text.
Written in elegant prose, the book leisurely and appropriately portrays the artistic journeys of sculptors Zhou Guozhen, Zhang Yuxian, Liu Yuanchang, Tang Ziqiang, Xiong Gangru, Yao Yongkang, Lu Jun, Xu Bo, Gao Feng, and Cao Chunsheng, as well as the creation process of the bronze sculpture "Hymn to Porcelain Workers," the lives of ancient porcelain workers, and porcelain-making techniques. At the same time, it vividly depicts stories from folk kiln workshops and firing sites through the lens of folk narratives, presenting the enchanting and long-standing ceramic culture of Jingdezhen, the world's renowned porcelain capital. As the author states, "Writing these words and recording my reflections is like pausing during life's journey at the ancient Lutian ferry crossing, the Watermelon Peninsula, or the Sanlü dock. I have organized, bundled, and tied my impressions, feelings, and hopes regarding porcelain, porcelain artisans, and the porcelain capital into a boat, hoping that people will better understand ceramics and learn more about Jingdezhen, a city as renowned as China, known for crafting 'heavenly vessels' for the world."