Fengxian Yuanzi Earthenware Making Technique

Jiangsu
🎧  Listen to Introduction

The craftsmanship of making earthenware in Yuanzi, Feng County, is a traditional craftsmanship project in the third batch of representative projects of Xuzhou's municipal intangible cultural heritage. The craftsmanship of making earthenware in Yuanzi, Feng County, began in the late Shang Dynasty and early Zhou Dynasty, flourished in the long farming era, and has a long history. Due to its unique craftsmanship, the products are bright in color, smooth in feel, with many types, good in texture and wide in use, the craftsmanship of making earthenware in Yuanzi, Feng County has been passed down from generation to generation. To this day, earthenware products in Yuanzi, Feng County are still praised by people. The craftsmanship of making earthenware in Yuanzi, Feng County is mainly spread in Liangzhai Town, concentrated in villages such as Nanji, Honglou, Huanglou, Yaoliwang and Jiadi around Yuanzi. Before the 1980s, there were steamed bun kilns firing earthenware near Yuanzi. Local farmers first used wheelbarrows and then flatbed trucks to transport earthenware products such as yellow basins, jars, and earthen jars to the vast towns and rural areas bordering Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan and Anhui. Earthenware products in Yuanzi, Feng County were widely used. At present, earthenware in Yuanzi, Feng County is still being fired and sold. Fengxian Yuanzi earthenware is made of high-quality clay formed by the siltation of the Yellow River diversion. It goes through the main processes of kneading, blanking, drying, glazing, and firing. The fired vessels are generally earthy brown, and the glaze is bright in color, including dark blue, red, and yellow. The pottery products fired by Fengxian Yuanzi earthenware production techniques can be roughly divided into three categories: one is daily necessities, including large, medium, and small yellow basins (glazed, used for mixing noodles and holding things), earthen jars (mainly used for holding grain), large jars (for holding oil and eggs), small jars (for holding salt), and urine pots. The second is funeral supplies, including Yin jars, lamps, and falling basins. The third is ornamental supplies, including vases, pen holders, teapots, small-mouthed bottles, etc. The raw material of Fengxian Yuanzi earthenware is Yuanzi clay, which is blocky, high in purity, brown-red in color, smooth to the touch, highly plastic, rich in minerals, pollution-free, and beneficial to human health for long-term use. It has been closely related to the lives of the people for thousands of years and has good practical value. Fengxian Yuanzi earthenware products are of many types, glazed products, and different colors. By glazing with different metal dry powders, colored pottery of different colors such as blue, green, red, and yellow can be fired, such as various styles of vases, pen holders, teapots, figures, twelve zodiac signs, and other crafts, which have high ornamental value.

Intangible culture related to the heritage

China tourist attractions related to the heritage