On October 23rd, the “Eternal Harmony of Ceramics: China-Japan Cultural Exchange Event” kicked off in Quyang County, Baoding City, Hebei Province.
This event was collaboratively organized by the Baoding Municipal Government, World Knowledge Publishing, the Consulate General of China in Osaka, and the Kyoto and Okayama Prefectures of Japan.
The event showcased an impressive collection of works from notable Chinese contemporary ceramic artists, including Bai Ming and the Chinese arts and crafts master Pang Yonghui, alongside eight Japanese ceramic artists like Kimura Momoyama and Matsumoto Shintaka. Additionally, exhibitions featuring Hebei porcelain and Quyang stone carvings highlighted 50 Ding ware pieces, 10 Xing ware pieces, 20 Cizhou ware pieces, and over 40 Quyang stone carvings.
Cheng Yonghua, the Executive Vice President of the China-Japan Friendship Association, noted that since the “New Rhythms of Ancient Porcelain: China-Japan Ceramic Cultural Exchange Forum” held in Baoding in 2022, there has been a deepening connection between Hebei Province and Japan’s Kyoto and Okayama Prefectures, fostering grassroots exchanges and practical cooperation.
Cheng emphasized that ceramics originated in China and are a global cultural treasure. The long history and advanced techniques of ceramic production in both countries serve as vital channels for mutual cultural and artistic exchange. For instance, Ding ware is highly esteemed in Japan, while Japan’s Kyo-yaki and Bizen pottery are also cherished by a broad audience of ceramic enthusiasts in China. He expressed hope that these exchanges would enhance learning and collaboration between the two nations in relevant fields and inject new energy into China-Japan friendship and local pragmatic cooperation.
Yoshimura Takeshi, the Mayor of Bizen City, remarked that Bizen pottery, one of Japan’s six ancient kilns, boasts a thousand-year history and represents traditional Japanese craftsmanship valued both domestically and internationally. He expressed hopes that ceramics would further promote cultural exchange between China and Japan.
That afternoon, the event hosted the “Ceramic Conversations: China-Japan Ceramic Skills Exchange” and “Ceramic Consensus: China-Japan Research and Learning Seminar.” Esteemed ceramic artists from both nations showcased and discussed their works and techniques, while representatives from ceramic enterprises, associations, and universities engaged in in-depth discussions.
As part of this cultural exchange event, the theme-based humanistic exchange activity “Explore Chinese Civilization” was also conducted simultaneously in Tokyo and Osaka, inviting over a hundred youth and friends from both countries to interact. Through storytelling about ceramic culture, it vividly demonstrated the excellence of traditional Chinese culture.
Quyang, known as the birthplace of Ding ware, saw its ceramic production skills begin in the Sui and Tang Dynasties and flourish in the Song Dynasty. Ding ware is famed for its “whiteness like jade, thinness like paper, and a sound like a chime,” with the white-glazed child pillow held in the Palace Museum being one of its renowned pieces. In 2008, the traditional Ding ware firing techniques were listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. Currently, Quyang County hosts over 360 Ding ware enterprises, producing more than 400 types of products, and employs over 20,000 people in the industry.
