The Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Expo Area is located on Cidu Avenue, Changjiang District, Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a national-level cultural industry demonstration base, and the only national-level tourist attraction themed on ceramic culture in China. The scenic area is characterized by displaying Jingdezhen's thousand-year history of porcelain making, traditional porcelain craftsmanship, and folk culture, and is known as a "living ceramic museum". Covering an area of about 83 hectares, the core area includes the ancient kiln area, folk custom area, and ceramic museum. It preserves more than 10 ancient kiln sites from the Ming and Qing dynasties, restores traditional kilns such as the Song Dynasty dragon kiln, Ming Dynasty gourd kiln, and Qing Dynasty town kiln, as well as over 20 porcelain-making workshops for processes like clay kneading, trimming, and painting. There are also ancient dwellings, ancient shops, and a porcelain stele corridor, completely presenting Jingdezhen's ceramic industry chain from raw material mining to finished product sales, serving as an important window to understand Chinese ceramic culture.
History and Culture
Jingdezhen's porcelain-making history can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, it could already produce celadon. It entered a period of prosperity in the Song Dynasty. In the first year of Jingde (1004 AD) of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, due to the excellent quality of imperial porcelain, it was officially named "Jingdezhen" and became the national center of porcelain making. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Jingdezhen's ceramic craftsmanship reached its peak. The establishment of the imperial kiln system promoted the refinement of porcelain-making technology. Blue and white porcelain, famille rose porcelain, linglong porcelain, and colored glaze porcelain are known as the "four famous porcelains", with products sold both at home and abroad, enjoying the reputation of "as white as jade, as bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, and as resonant as a chime".
The ancient kiln sites in the scenic area have witnessed the rise and fall of Jingdezhen's porcelain industry. Among them, the Qing Dynasty town kiln, built in the early years of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, is the largest wood-fired kiln among traditional Chinese kilns, with a total length of 18 meters and a height of nearly 6 meters. It can fire over 10,000 pieces of porcelain at a time. Its unique fire chamber design can accurately control the kiln temperature, embodying the wisdom of ancient craftsmen. In addition, Jingdezhen has rich ceramic folk culture. Customs such as "worshipping the kiln god at the start of work" and "painters' guilds" have been passed down to this day. The scenic area regularly holds activities such as kiln god worship ceremonies and ceramic lantern riddles, allowing tourists to experience the charm of traditional ceramic culture up close.
Main Attractions
Qing Dynasty Town Kiln
The Qing Dynasty Town Kiln is the core attraction of the scenic area. It was first built in 1728 (the 6th year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty) and restored to its original appearance in 2009. It has an egg-shaped structure, and the entire kiln is fired with pine wood, with a kiln temperature of over 1300℃. The kiln is divided into three parts: the kiln head, kiln bed, and kiln tail. The kiln bed is sloped to facilitate the flow of flame, allowing porcelain with different temperature requirements to be fired simultaneously. The scenic area arranges traditional wood-fired kiln opening performances every day, where tourists can witness the moment when porcelain comes out of the kiln and also watch the entire process of craftsmen loading and firing the kiln, learning the artistic secrets of "fire and earth".
Ming Dynasty Gourd Kiln
The Ming Dynasty Gourd Kiln is named for its resemblance to a gourd. It is a typical kiln style in Jingdezhen during the Ming Dynasty, restored and built in 2010, with a height of about 5 meters. It consists of two upper and lower spheres, with the upper one smaller and the lower one larger, which is conducive to heat accumulation. This kind of kiln has a short firing cycle and heats up quickly, suitable for firing small and delicate porcelain, especially good at firing blue and white porcelain. Next to the gourd kiln in the scenic area, there is a restored porcelain-making workshop displaying the Ming Dynasty craftsmanship of clay kneading and painting. Tourists can watch craftsmen make porcelain with traditional tools and feel the characteristics of Ming Dynasty porcelain-making technology.
Song Dynasty Dragon Kiln
The Song Dynasty Dragon Kiln is built along the mountain, with a total length of about 30 meters. It is named for its resemblance to a lying dragon and is the main kiln type for firing celadon and white porcelain in Jingdezhen during the Song Dynasty. The dragon kiln uses the slope of the mountain to naturally form draft, with flames burning from the kiln head to the kiln tail, heating evenly and allowing mass production of daily-use porcelain. Next to the dragon kiln site, the scenic area has set up a display area for porcelain clay ore specimens, introducing the selection and processing methods of porcelain-making raw materials in the Song Dynasty, helping tourists understand the geographical advantage of "suitable water and soil for ceramics".
Ceramic Folk Custom Museum
The Ceramic Folk Custom Museum covers an area of about 3,000 square meters, divided into three exhibition halls: "Origin of Pottery", "Soul of Porcelain", and "Torch of Inheritance". It displays more than 5,000 ceramic cultural relics from the Han Dynasty to the present, including treasures such as the Song Dynasty shadow celadon bowl, the Ming Dynasty Yongle blue and white lotus-patterned vase, and the Qing Dynasty Qianlong famille rose deer vase. Through scene restoration and multimedia demonstrations, the museum shows the historical changes and folk customs of Jingdezhen's porcelain industry. Among them, the "Imperial Kiln Supervisor" scene restores the office environment of Tang Ying, the imperial kiln supervisor in the Qing Dynasty, vividly reproducing the imperial kiln management system.
Porcelain Stele Corridor
The Porcelain Stele Corridor is 130 meters long, composed of 132 blue and white porcelain plates. Each porcelain plate is 1.2 meters high and 0.8 meters wide, engraved with poems and odes praising Jingdezhen ceramics by literati of past dynasties, such as works by Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty, Su Shi of the Song Dynasty, and Tang Yin of the Ming Dynasty. The porcelain plates are painted using traditional blue and white craftsmanship, with vigorous and forceful fonts, and patterns integrating with the artistic conception of the poems. It is not only a display of ceramic art but also a model of the combination of Chinese literature and ceramic culture.
Ming Lu
Ming Lu is a restored complex of Ming Dynasty dwellings in Jingdezhen, covering an area of about 5,000 square meters. It consists of 6 brick-and-wood houses in the Ming Dynasty style, including the main hall, side rooms, courtyards, and gardens. The brick carvings and wood carvings in the architectural decorations are mostly themed on ceramic patterns, such as "blue and white intertwined branches" and "porcelain vase with flowers". Ming Lu has a ceramic tea set display area and tea art performances. Tourists can taste Fuliang tea, a specialty of Jingdezhen, and experience the elegant life of Ming Dynasty literati who "appreciated porcelain while drinking tea".
Food
Jingdezhen Special Dishes
Porcelain Clay Braised Chicken
Porcelain Clay Braised Chicken is a traditional famous dish in Jingdezhen. It uses local three-yellow chicken, deboned and stuffed with ingredients such as mushrooms and ham, wrapped in lotus leaves, then covered with Jingdezhen's unique kaolin (porcelain clay), and braised in the embers of a wood-fired kiln for 3-4 hours. The porcelain clay heats evenly, locking in the chicken's moisture. The finished dish has tender meat, with the fragrance of lotus leaves and the earth, invented by ancient kiln workers and now a signature dish in the scenic area's restaurant.
Steamed Pork with Rice Flour
Jingdezhen's Steamed Pork with Rice Flour is different from that in other regions. It uses locally produced early rice ground into flour, stir-fried with spices such as star anise and cinnamon, then mixed with streaky pork and steamed in a ceramic steamer (a traditional steaming utensil). The ceramic steamer conducts heat slowly and evenly, making the meat aroma fully integrate with the rice flour. The meat is fat but not greasy, and the rice flour is soft and fragrant, being a home-cooked dish for Jingdezhen people during festivals.
Surrounding Food
Cold Noodles
Cold Noodles are the most popular snack on the streets of Jingdezhen. The rice noodles are cooked and then rinsed with cold water, mixed with seasonings such as dried radish, peanuts, chili, and sesame paste. They taste smooth and chewy, spicy and appetizing. There are many old shops selling cold noodles in the old streets near the scenic area, among which "Fanjiajing Cold Noodles" has a history of more than 30 years. Paired with a fried dough stick, it is a classic local breakfast combination.
Fuliang Tea
Fuliang County (belonging to Jingdezhen City) has a long history of tea production. It was mentioned in Bai Juyi's "Song of a Pipa Player" in the Tang Dynasty: "Merchants value profit over separation; last month, they went to Fuliang to buy tea." Fuliang Tea is mainly green tea, with a tight and straight shape, clear and bright soup color, and a mellow and sweet taste. There is a Fuliang Tea Experience Hall in Ming Lu of the scenic area, where tourists can watch tea art performances and buy premium Fuliang Tea as souvenirs.
Tickets
The ticket price is 95 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "景德镇古窑民俗博览区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open all year round, with daily opening hours from 8:00 to 17:30 (admission stops at 17:00). The traditional kiln opening performances are held at 10:00 and 14:00 every day (may be adjusted on rainy days). The kiln god worship ceremony is held at 9:30 every Saturday morning. For details, please refer to the scenic area's announcement on the day.
Tour Route
Recommended One-Day Tour Route
Arrive at the entrance of the scenic area at 8:30 a.m., first visit the Qing Dynasty Town Kiln (about 1 hour) and watch the kiln opening performance at 10:00; at 10:30, go to the Ming Dynasty Gourd Kiln and Song Dynasty Dragon Kiln (about 1.5 hours) to learn about the characteristics of kilns in different dynasties; at 12:00, have lunch at the Porcelain Tea Pavilion in the scenic area, tasting specialties such as Porcelain Clay Braised Chicken.
At 13:30 p.m., visit the Ceramic Folk Custom Museum (about 1.5 hours) to appreciate ceramic treasures of past dynasties; at 15:00, visit the Porcelain Stele Corridor and Ming Lu (about 1 hour) to experience the combination of ceramics with literature and architecture; at 16:00, experience manual porcelain making (need to make an appointment in advance, about 1 hour), such as clay kneading or painting; at 17:00, buy souvenirs at the ceramic shop at the exit of the scenic area and end the trip. This route covers the core attractions of the scenic area, combining viewing and experience.
Transportation
- Public transportation: Take bus No. 1, 5, or 9 in Jingdezhen to "Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Expo Area" station, then walk for about 5 minutes to reach the scenic area, with a bus fare of 1 yuan per person; from Jingdezhen North Station (high-speed railway station), you can take bus K106 directly to the scenic area, with a journey of about 40 minutes and a fare of 5 yuan per person.
- Self-driving: Starting from the center of Jingdezhen, drive west along Cidu Avenue for about 3 kilometers to reach the scenic area, taking about 10 minutes; starting from Nanchang, drive along Shanghai-Kunming Expressway to Jingdezhen Exit, then turn to Cidu Avenue, with a total distance of about 210 kilometers, taking 2.5 hours. The charging standard for the scenic area's parking lot is 15 yuan per car per day.
- Internal transportation in the scenic area: The scenic area is large, with sightseeing battery cars available. The full-line pass is 20 yuan per person, allowing unlimited rides between attractions; walking through the entire scenic area takes about 3-4 hours, with rest pavilions and signposts along the way.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Qing Dynasty Town Kiln: The restored largest wood-fired kiln of the Qing Dynasty, with daily kiln opening performances. You can watch the entire process of porcelain coming out of the kiln and learn about traditional wood-firing craftsmanship.
- Ceramic Folk Custom Museum: More than 5,000 ceramic cultural relics systematically display Jingdezhen's porcelain-making history, with vividly restored scenes of Ming Dynasty imperial kiln supervisors.
- Manual Porcelain Making Experience Area: You can personally participate in processes such as clay kneading and painting (charging 50-100 yuan per item) to make your own ceramic souvenirs.
- Porcelain Stele Corridor: 132 blue and white porcelain plates engraved with poems praising porcelain from past dynasties, being an artistic masterpiece combining ceramics and literature.
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to join the scenic area's free tour group. The guide will introduce the kiln structure, porcelain-making craftsmanship, and historical background in detail, with a tour time of about 2 hours, which is more rewarding than visiting on your own.
- The handcrafted porcelain-making experience needs to be reserved in advance through the scenic area's official WeChat account. Clay throwing is suitable for beginners. For blank painting, you can choose blue and white pigments to draw simple patterns. The finished products can be mailed to your home (postage is extra).
- Kiln opening performances and kiln god worship ceremonies are special activities of the scenic area. It is recommended to arrive at the scene 10 minutes in advance to get a good spot for viewing and taking photos.
- For dining, it is recommended to go to the Porcelain Tea Pavilion in the scenic area. In addition to special dishes, you can order a "ceramic tableware set" to enjoy food in Jingdezhen porcelain, experiencing the pleasure of "appreciating porcelain while eating".
- If you want to have an in-depth understanding of ceramic culture, you can stay in the "Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Zone" near the scenic area. The light show of old factories at night forms a "dialogue between ancient and modern times" with the ancient kilns.
Matters Needing Attention
- There are many ancient kiln sites and ceramic cultural relics in the scenic area. Touching and climbing are prohibited. Using flash when taking photos is not allowed to avoid damaging the cultural relics.
- The temperature in the traditional kiln performance area is high. When watching, keep a distance of more than 5 meters from the kiln and follow the instructions of the staff.
- During the manual porcelain making experience, follow the master's guidance to avoid wasting porcelain clay or damaging tools. The finished works need to be fired after 3 working days and can be chosen to be mailed or picked up on site.
- Smoking is prohibited in the scenic area, especially near wood-fired kilns. Carrying kindling is strictly forbidden to prevent fires.
- When buying ceramic souvenirs, it is recommended to choose official shops or time-honored stores in the scenic area. Pay attention to checking whether there is the "Made in Jingdezhen" mark to avoid buying imitations.