Pic story: inheritor of colored glaze firing skill carrys forward traditional skill (7)

Ge Yuansheng collects raw material for colored glaze firing in Haozhuang Township of Yingze District in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, March 3, 2021. Shaping, glazing, firing... After several procedures, the colored glaze handicrafts in the hands of Ge Yuansheng, an 81-year-old man in Taiyuan, gradually glow with dazzling brilliance. Ge Yuansheng is a representative inheritor of colored glaze firing skill, which was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Colored glaze handicraft, with its gorgeous color and delicate shape, has been widely used in houses, palaces, temples and other architecture. The colored glaze firing skill of Su's family in Taiyuan is a representative of such skill in Shanxi Province. Ge Yuansheng started to learn the skill from Su Jie, the sixth generation inheritor of Su's family, in 1979. The firing skill of Peacock Blue, the most famous color of Su's colored glaze, was once lost in history. In order to carry forward the traditional skill, Ge Yuansheng conducted nearly 1,000 experiments within 30 years, and made Su's Peacock Blue colored glaze regain its vitality. "Colored glaze firing skill does not fade because of the passage of time," Ge Yuansheng said. He hopes that more young people could have a deeper understanding on the unique technique. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)