Zingdezhen porcelains, Jianzi province of China
Over the desert sands, over the gulf and bay, over the Ganges and over the Himalayas I fly like a bird, and sing soaring, To the flowery kingdoms of Cathay and a bird’s balance on a balanced wing Over the city of King – te-tching. A city in flames, or so it seems, – Three thousand furnaces that glow incessantly, and fill the air With smoke that rises, twist after twist, And painted by the eerie glow, With jets and flashes of red fire.
Keramos, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1877.
Like Longfellow more than a hundred years before, we traveled in the summer of 1987 to the same porcelain factory town of Cathay. Today it is called Zingdezhen and Cathay is China, but the town still has a thousand kilns, some over a thousand years old. Zingdezhen is known as the porcelain capital of the world.
It was not simple, our way to Zingdezhen. First, we booked ourselves on the daily Yangtze River steamer out of Shanghai. It was romantic and exciting to board the relatively modern cargo and passenger ship at sunset. Birding outside our cabin with a fresh cup of tea in hand, we cruised down the Whangpoa River, clicking the blinds until the light went out. The scenes were of the Shanghai skyline and ships from around the world at the terminals or at the mid-canal anchorage and modern cruise ships beckoned by gay flags, issuing an ant-linking flow of passenger traffic towards the famous Bund. Ferries rounded the coast endlessly. The gangly container ships were overflowing with their stacked toy boxes, then cranes passed them and loaded them onto barges and trucks. Rusty freighters and small riverboats of a thousand varieties added to the eclectic mix as we sat by the rail and exchanged pleasantries with our new friends in the next cabin.
Two days later, in the early afternoon, we disembarked at Jiujany, a busy old port where emperors and their retinues had also docked centuries before. They were going to their favorite mountain resort in Lushan. Even Mao Tse Tung had a villa in the cool Lushan forest. If time permits when you visit, spend a few days there. You can fantasize as one of the royal staff, or sit at Mao’s desk, still outfitted with rice paper and brushes waiting for more “sayings.” Mao’s slippers and robe hang on a nearby coat rack.
To the city of porcelain, supposedly three hours away by road. We hired a tiny red taxi (which was a Polish car assembled in China) and in just six hours of driving over partly finished roads and half a dozen river crossings by barge, we reached the ancient city of Zingdezhen.
The hotel complex on top of a hill above a small lake was modern Chinese style in a clearing in the forest. The lobby, dining room and entrance were packed with businessmen from all over the world, but mostly from Hong Kong. We were greeted and accommodated in a lovely VIP suite. The sitting room was cluttered with overstuffed furniture, tables and cupboards and offered the inevitable thermos of hot water with local Chinese tea service. The bathroom had hot water from 5am to 9am and the antique claw foot tub was welcome as we soaked off our road trip cramps.
Our local guide spent the next few days escorting us through the factories to see the exquisite porcelains that have been created in this remote city for over a thousand years. Enjoyed by Chinese emperors, Arabian princes and the royalty of Europe, artistic porcelain has reached all corners of the world. The Ming emperors had their own designated factories, which used the deep cobalt blues, while the Qing favored the lurid yellows decorated with brilliantly plumaged phoenixes. Eggshell porcelains of incredible delicacy are still being produced. Classic figures of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, Shou-Xing Lao with his bald head and long beard symbolizing the wish for a long life, and Confucius are favorites, each sculpted by talented artists.
The art form of porcelains is to be enjoyed by all. Porcelains are available as modest decorative vases, as well as the “show pieces” that are now allowed with modern innovation. Zingdezhen porcelain relics grace the homes and museums of the world.
To care for your porcelains, try the following:
For Bisque Porcelain, which has no glaze, you need to be careful how you handle it. They can pick up grease from your hands and dirt very easily. It is recommended to handle them as little as possible. For times when you need to handle them, be sure to wash your hands very carefully first. These bisque porcelains should never be soaked in water to clean, they will absorb moisture. One option is to use a slightly damp cloth or soft cloth to clean if necessary.
Ceramic porcelain has a glaze (meaning it’s shiny). You should clean Ceramic Porcelain the same way you would Bisque porcelain.
The important note here is to try not to get these porcelains dirty. You can achieve this by handling them carefully or by handling them very lightly.
It’s good to know where some of the best porcelain in the world comes from. If you ever get one of these pieces of art, I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.