Longpu

　　    Nestled snugly along the roaring Nujiang River, with a vast expanse of pristine forest behind the village, Longpu shines like a gem embedded in the riverside.                                                                  &　　　　

　　The most captivating aspect of Longpu is its world of pottery.　　　　

　　As you enter the village, you’ll find kilns for firing pottery and workshops for processing pottery blanks. Stepping into the homes, you’ll see an array of pottery items. There are grain jars that can hold hundreds of pounds of grain, water-carrying buckets, water tanks, and cooking pots; smaller items include tea caddies, butter tea kettles, oil lamps, incense burners, and small wine cups.　　　　

　　These pottery items also come in various matched sets, such as those for brewing liquor—fermentation vats, earthen distillers, cold-water pots, straining pots, funnels, wine jars, and wine cups—as well as sets for water use.　　　　

　　When making pottery, the Nu people use extremely simple tools, relying only on a smooth round stone and a bamboo strip.　　　　

　　During the crafting process, the clay is placed on a stone in the left hand, and shaped according to the maker’s vision. These small pottery blanks do not need to be fired in a specialized kiln but can be fired simply over the hearth.　　　　

　　Surrounded by mountains, Longpu is truly puzzling as there are no other pottery-making communities within hundreds of miles.