Jingdezhen Ten Great Porcelain Factories Ceramics Museum

Jingdezhen Ten Great Porcelain Factories Ceramics Museum

“China has long been known as the kingdom of porcelain, and this city once stood at the pinnacle of that industry.” Jingdezhen is a world-renowned porcelain capital and holds an important place in the history of China’s ceramic development. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, more than a dozen large state-owned porcelain factories were established in Jingdezhen, collectively referred to as the “Ten Great Porcelain Factories,” also known as the “National Kiln Factories.”

Over the course of more than half a century, Jingdezhen’s ten great porcelain factories evolved from small-scale and weak enterprises to large and strong ones. The industry transitioned from traditional to modern practices, moving from scattered and small-scale handicraft workshops to large-scale mechanized and modernized ceramic production. Despite a challenging development journey, the factories achieved countless glorious accomplishments and accumulated valuable heritage. The establishment of the “Ten Great Porcelain Factories” not only laid the foundation for Jingdezhen’s modern ceramic industry and ushered in a golden era for its ceramic manufacturing, but also played a leading and exemplary role within the national and even global ceramic sectors. Although the “Ten Great Porcelain Factories” have now exited the historical stage, their developmental history and contributions will forever be engraved on the monument of history.

To preserve and protect the national kiln culture of Jingdezhen’s Ten Great Porcelain Factories, in October 2010, with approval from the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture, the Jingdezhen Ten Great Porcelain Factories Ceramics Museum was established and officially opened to the public, becoming one of the first privately-run ceramic museums in Jiangxi Province. The museum is located at No. 99 Gaoling Avenue, Zhushan East Market Ceramic Culture Expo City, Jingdezhen City, under the jurisdiction of Zhushan District. It lies south of Gaoling Avenue, the main thoroughfare of the eastern urban area, north of Fuliang County, east of Wuyuan County, and west of Poyang County. It is approximately 7 km from Jingdezhen Luojia Airport, about 10 km from the Jingdezhen North Expressway Toll Station, around 6 km from Jingdezhen East Bus Station, roughly 5 km from Jingdezhen High-Speed North Railway Station, about 55 km from Poyang Lake Wetland Park, and 200 km from the provincial capital, Nanchang. Major destinations such as Huangshan, Lushan, Sanqing Mountain, Longhu Mountain, and Jiuhua Mountain are all within a two-hour drive. The museum is centrally located at the intersection of the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, southern Fujian “Golden Triangle,” the economic zone of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and the Beijing-Kowloon Railway Economic Belt, making it highly accessible for tourism.

The Jingdezhen Ten Great Porcelain Factories Ceramics Museum covers an area of over 20,000 square meters and houses nearly 10,000 pieces of ceramic masterpieces and historical documents created by the Ten Great Porcelain Factories. The exhibits are divided into six sections: “Origins of Pottery,” “Eventful Years,” “Kiln Innovations,” “Gathering of Masters,” “Craft Processes,” and “Cultural Creativity Center.” They provide a comprehensive display of the fine ceramics produced by the “Ten Great Porcelain Factories” and vividly illustrate the evolution of ceramic craftsmanship in Jingdezhen from pottery to porcelain, as well as the transformation of kiln technologies from wood-fired to coal-fired, oil-fired, and gas-fired kilns.

The Jingdezhen Ten Great Porcelain Factories Ceramics Museum is currently the only privately-run museum in China dedicated exclusively to researching the ceramic history and culture of Jingdezhen’s “Ten Great Porcelain Factories” from the post-1949 period up to 1995. Since its opening, the museum has adhered to the principles of “effective protection, rational utilization, and strengthened management.” Leveraging its collection strengths, it integrates the functions of collection, preservation, scientific research, and public education. This has led to a display layout where permanent exhibitions, thematic displays, and temporary exhibitions complement and enhance each other. From multiple perspectives and dimensions, the museum showcases the glorious creative history, profound cultural heritage, and rich connotations of the Ten Great Porcelain Factories to a wide audience.

The establishment of the Jingdezhen Ten Great Porcelain Factories Ceramics Museum aims to revive the glorious history of the “Ten Great Porcelain Factories,” exhibit the exquisitely crafted art treasures of “national kiln porcelain,” and protect and pass on their superior production techniques and the spirit of master artisans. It seeks to play an active role in the comprehensive revitalization of the ceramic industry in the new era, promote ceramic culture, and boost ceramic tourism. The museum offers every visitor an engaging and refined education in ceramic knowledge, leaving behind beautiful and unforgettable memories.

Further Reading:

· National Second-Class Museum of China