Black Pottery of Fotou Temple

Black Pottery of Fotou Temple

Fotou Temple Black Pottery is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　The black pottery of the Yellow River Estuary is the essence of life culture along the Yellow River. Since the origin of black pottery is the village of Fotou Temple in Shengtuo Town, Kenli County, it is also known as "Fotou Black Pottery." The village of Fotou Temple possesses unique natural red silt from the lowermost reaches of the Yellow River, which serves as premium raw material for pottery firing. Fotou Black Pottery has a history of over 200 years and is made from raw materials sourced more than ten meters underground—natural red silt deposited by the Yellow River. It is developed and produced by local artisans who combine traditional clay pottery techniques, making it a crystallization of “fire” and “earth.”

　　Legend has it that in the second year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1369), Shanxi migrants Li Yuancheng and Li Yuantong settled at the mouth of the Yellow River. They built thatched huts, dug soil to make stoves, and began a life of subsistence farming. Unable to afford utensils needed for daily life, they came up with the idea of making their own by firing the Yellow River silt.

　　The original production process of black pottery was quite simple. A wooden stake was fixed into the ground, with a pointed iron rod at the top. The iron rod supported a round disc about the size of a pot lid. To prevent the disc from tilting, the central hub of an old wooden cart wheel was fixed to the center of the disc and then fitted onto the wooden stake. During production, one person would vigorously kick the edge of the wooden disc, causing it to spin rapidly. The artisan would place prepared clay on the disc and, using the spinning force, shape the clay by hand into various forms of vessels. The shaped greenware was then left to dry in the shade before being loaded into the kiln for firing. After several days of steaming, the clay became vitrified—turning into the common basins and pots used by people. These handmade clay pottery items were inexpensive yet durable. Clay pots used to hold congee could be placed in the fields under the sun for hours without spoiling. Due to these qualities, the clay pottery from Fotou Temple was widely sold to nearby regions such as Bin County, Putai (now Boxing County), Haifeng (now Wudi County), Zhanhua, Yangxin, and Lijin, where it was very popular. A popular saying at the time—"Fotou Temple’s yellow basin—systematically perfect"—shows the influence of Fotou Temple’s clay pottery in the Yellow River Estuary area.

　　Over generations, this craft has been carefully studied and refined by folk artisans. The resulting products, known for their classic and elegant shapes, exquisite and delicate carvings, and tasteful designs and patterns, have been highly favored by arts and crafts enthusiasts. They feature characteristics described as “dark as ink, resonant as a bell, thin as paper, shiny as a mirror, and hard as porcelain.” When lifted, they feel almost weightless; when tapped, they produce a clear, resonant sound. They are acclaimed as the “Flower of Qi-Lu Black Pottery.”