Traditional Chinese folk craft - Ceramics

　　Ceramics, an ancient and magical art, carries the memories and emotions of human civilization. Its history can be traced back thousands of years. From simple primitive pottery to exquisite porcelain, each stage shines with the light of wisdom. China, as the birthplace of ceramics, has countless amazing kilns and techniques.
　　Types of Ceramics
　　Ceramics are mainly divided into two categories: pottery and porcelain. Pottery is usually made of ordinary clay and fired at temperatures below 1000℃. It has a relatively rough texture and is highly absorbent. Among them, red pottery is simple and mellow, with warm colors; black pottery is solemn and mysterious, with a surface as bright as lacquer; gray pottery is elegant and stable, giving a sense of tranquility. In ancient times, pottery was mainly used for daily life, such as storing food and water, and some were used as burial objects or sacrificial items.
　　Porcelain, on the other hand, developed from pottery. It is made from kaolin and other raw materials and fired at temperatures above 1200℃. Porcelain has a fine and dense texture and is almost non-absorbent. Blue and white porcelain is fresh and elegant, with blue patterns on the white porcelain body like a beautiful painting, making people feel as if they can see the misty rain of ancient southern China; powder-colored porcelain has bright colors, and the delicate brushstrokes depicting flowers, birds, and figures are vivid and full of life's interest; the exquisite and delicate 'linglong' porcelain, with its transparent 'linglong' eyes sparkling under the light; color glaze porcelain is admired for its rich glaze color changes, such as the kiln changes of Jun porcelain, which is one color when it enters the kiln and thousands of colors when it comes out, each piece is a unique work of art.
　　Jingdezhen ceramics are famous at home and abroad. The delicate white porcelain, as warm and moist as sheep fat jade, emits a soft luster under the light; on the blue and white porcelain, the blue patterns and the white body complement each other, telling ancient stories, as if they can take people back to the prosperous ancient Silk Road.
　　There is also Jun porcelain, famous for its unique kiln-change art. One color goes into the kiln, and thousands of colors come out. Each piece of Jun porcelain is a unique work of art. The colorful glaze is as beautiful as a dream, making people intoxicated.
　　The Making of Ceramics
　　The process of making ceramics is extremely complex and involves many processes, including throwing, shaping, painting, and firing. Craftsmen use their hands and hearts to transform ordinary clay into exquisite works of art. 1. Clay Preparation: Porcelain stone is taken from the mining area, first manually broken into pieces the size of eggs with an iron hammer, then pounded into powder using a water-powered pestle, washed, impurities removed, and settled to form brick-like clay blocks. Then, the clay blocks are mixed with water, impurities removed, and kneaded by hand or foot to squeeze out the air in the clay and make the moisture in the clay even.
　　2. Throwing: The clay is thrown onto the center of the rotating wheel of the pottery wheel, and the shape of the blank is formed by the movement of the hands. Throwing is the first step in shaping. Throwing requires familiarity with the shrinkage rate of the clay. The total shrinkage rate of Jingdezhen porcelain clay is approximately 18%-20%, and the size is determined according to the size, variety, and different shapes and the softness and hardness of the clay. Due to the softness of Jingdezhen porcelain clay, the thrown blanks are thicker than those made of other clays. Throwing not only needs to consider the shrinkage rate but also the shape. For larger items, they need to be made in sections, and the skill and level of the throwing master can be seen from the various sections.
　　3. Pressing: The shape of the mold is made by turning the inner shape curve of the blank. The semi-dried blank is placed on the mold, and the outer wall of the blank is evenly pressed, then demolded.
　　4. Trimming: The blank is placed on the trimming bucket of the pottery wheel, the wheel is rotated, and the blank is trimmed with a knife to make the blank of appropriate thickness and smooth inside and outside. This is a process with high technical requirements. Trimming, also known as "repairing" or "turning," is a key step in determining the final shape of the object and making the surface smooth, the shape continuous, and the shape consistent. Inner and outer trimming is an extremely important and superior forming technology in the Jingdezhen porcelain-making process compared to other kiln systems, and it is a unique technical guarantee for the formation of the Jingdezhen ceramic style. Trimming workers not only need to be familiar with the properties of the clay but also skillfully master the curve changes of the shape and the shrinkage ratio of various parts during firing, as well as the thickness of the clay left in various parts. Generally speaking, the thickness of the blank is different in different parts of the same object, because the shrinkage rate and stress conditions are inconsistent in different parts during high-temperature firing. Therefore, the thickness of the clay blank in different parts should be controlled during trimming to prevent deformation during firing. The control and identification method of the thickness of the blank during trimming are the key to mastering the trimming technology and ensuring the quality of trimming.
　　5. Drying: The shaped blanks are placed on wooden racks to dry.
　　6. Carving: Use bamboo, bone, or iron tools to carve patterns on the dried blanks.
　　7. Glazing: Ordinary round objects use dipping or pouring glaze. Carved objects or large round objects use spraying glaze. Most ceramic products need to be glazed before firing. Glazing seems simple but is an extremely important and difficult process to master. To ensure that the glaze layer on each part of the blank is uniform and of appropriate thickness, and to pay attention to the different fluidity of various glazes, is not an easy task. Jingdezhen ceramic decoration can be roughly divided into two basic types: underglaze decoration and overglaze decoration. Underglaze decoration refers to the artistic decoration processed directly on the clay blank and glazed and fired. It is named because the decorative pattern is under the glaze layer of the porcelain, mainly including blue and white, underglaze red, and underglaze five-color. The process of decorating on the glaze surface of already fired porcelain is called overglaze, including ancient color, powder color, ink color, and new color. There is also "doucai" decoration, which combines underglaze blue and white with overglaze five-color. In fact, since the Yuan Dynasty, the history of Chinese porcelain painting and decoration has mainly followed the development history of Jingdezhen porcelain. The red color from the glaze is a precious variety with high reputation and influence in Jingdezhen.
　　8. Kiln Firing: First, the ceramic products are placed into saggars. Saggars are containers made of refractory materials used for firing ceramic products. Their function is to prevent the ceramic blanks from directly contacting the kiln fire, avoiding contamination; this is especially beneficial for firing white porcelain. The kiln firing process takes about a day and night, with temperatures around 1300 degrees. The kiln door is bricked up, and the kiln is fired. The fuel is pine wood. The master craftsman oversees the process, monitors the heat, controls temperature changes, and determines the time to stop the firing.
　　9. Painting: Overglaze colors, such as five-color and powder-color, involve painting patterns and filling in colors on the glazed surface of already-fired porcelain, followed by low-temperature firing in a red-hot kiln, at around 700-800 degrees. Painting done before kiln firing, on the un-glazed body, such as underglaze blue and underglaze red, is called underglaze painting. Its characteristic is that the colors are under the high-temperature glaze and never fade. Porcelain painting is different from general painting. The colors of the pigments seen by the painter on the un-glazed body during glazing and painting change greatly after high-temperature firing and baking.
　　It is not merely an ornament or utensil, but also a legacy and expression of culture. In ceramics, we can see the aesthetics, customs, and values of different eras. Today, ceramic art continues to develop and innovate. Modern ceramic artists incorporate new elements and ideas on the basis of tradition, creating works with more contemporary characteristics. Let's enter the world of ceramics together and experience its endless charm and profound heritage.