Ancient village in SW China's Yunnan thrives through pottery

Inside a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) kiln, rows of clay vessels gradually take shape amid a roaring fire in Wanyao village, Boshang town, Linxiang district, Lincang city, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Pottery-making in Wanyao village has been passed down for more than 300 years. Yet with poor infrastructure and a fragmented industry, the villagers struggled to turn their generations-old craft into a stable source of income until recently.

In 2025, the village introduced private investment to renovate its vacant old houses. Without altering the original structures, the project refurbished the interiors and improved the courtyards, creating a B&B cluster.

A villager makes pottery wares in Wanyao village, Linxiang district, Lincang city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei)

The project was led by Yang Junyu, a young entrepreneur. Before the village renovation began, he had already settled there to launch his own business, transforming an abandoned cowshed in a rented courtyard into a distinctive café.

Soon, traditional adobe homes in the village were carefully restored and upgraded into hybrid-style B&Bs suited for both short getaways and extended stays. The guest rooms drew inspiration from local pottery culture. Inside, everything from the lamps and cups to potted decorations was handcrafted by local artisans.

The revitalized homes breathed new life into the ancient village, while younger craftspeople helped push traditional pottery beyond its previous limitations through creativity and persistence.

Photo shows pottery wares in Wanyao village, Linxiang district, Lincang city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei)

Born in 1993, Yang Pixiang grew up in Wanyao village surrounded by the local pottery-making tradition. In 2023, he chose to return home and start his own business. He abandoned assembly-line production to preserve the local clay's raw, natural texture — a choice that gave his work a distinctive style.

To make traditional craftsmanship resonate with modern audiences, Yang also incorporated local cultural elements into his designs, transforming rustic pottery into trendy cultural products popular with young people.

Tourists visit Wanyao village, Linxiang district, Lincang city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei)

Today, nearly 80 percent of the villagers have mastered pottery-making skills. To broaden sales channels, Wanyao village established a cooperative linking local pottery workshops under a unified order-management system.

In 2025, the village's collective economy generated 524,000 yuan ($77,500) in revenue, with cultural tourism accounting for more than 30 percent of the total. Villagers' annual per capita disposable income reached 24,900 yuan.