Young porcelain artisan revives celadon ware in ancient Shabu Kiln style

Xie Zhenwei explains the features of a Shabu-Kiln celadon censer as primary school students listen in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang) 

Originated in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and flourished in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the Shabu Kilns are considered as transitional kilns during the development of southern celadon industry from Yue Kilns to Longquan Kilns.

Xie Zhenwei, a young porcelain artisan and a native of Shabu Township, has been making efforts to reproduce the celadon wares in the style of Shabu Kilns, which is characterized by exquisite carved patterns. To achieve his goal, Xie learned techniques from Yue Kilns and Longquan Kilns and kept using local materials.

At present, Xie has successfully made celadon wares like censer, jug and powder boxes, in the style of Shabu Kilns. He also set up a workshop to display the culture of this art.

Xie Zhenwei (L) makes a point as students graduated from a technician college look on during a visit in a relic site of an ancient kiln in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei applies glaze to a porcelain ware at a kiln in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei gives instruction in a pottery class for primary school students at his studio in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Luo Yonghua (R), an expert on Shabu Kilns, shows the traditional carved patterns to Xie Zhenwei in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei shows the clay made from local materials for porcelain-making in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei (C) discusses with his fellows on porcelain-making in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei works at a kiln in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei arranges porcelain wares at a kiln in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei helps a primary school student make a piece of porcelain in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

This combo photo taken on July 11, 2024 shows celadon wares made by Xie Zhenwei in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Longquan celadon artisan Chen Junlin (top) instructs as Xie Zhenwei makes a censer in the style of Shabu Kilns in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Xie Zhenwei arranges porcelain wares at a kiln in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Luo Yonghua (C), an expert on Shabu Kilns, explains the features of the carved patterns on ancient Shabu-Kiln celadon pieces as Xie Zhenwei (R) listens in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

A piece of ancient Shabu-Kiln celadon ware (R) and a celadon ware made by Xie Zhenwei are pictured in Shabu Township, Huangyan of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)