Celadon porcelain at Longquan Kiln becomes world heritage

The technique for producing celadon porcelain at the Longquan Kiln in east China's Zhejiang Province has gained recognition as part of the World Cultural Heritage. Let's look at the traditional art.

For collectors of fine porcelain, owning a piece of Longquan celadon is an achievement. For some, it's even a dream. Celadon is a type of pottery originally produced in China, which is characterized by its pale green glaze. "Longquan" is a small town in east China's Zhejiang province. The special quality of the local glaze and water combine to give Caledon porcelain its unique charm. Usually more than eighty procedures are employed to create each piece.

The 13 steps of the production process have been followed for over 17-hundred-years. These techniques make celadon porcelain truly unique. Longquan celadon porcelain reached its peak during the Song and Yuan dynasties about one-thousand years ago. The products have been exported to major European countries, where they were treasured as priceless artworks.

The art faded in popularity around the 18th century during the Qing dynasty and was nearly lost. But after the founding of the new China, the traditional technique was revived and became a part of the national intangible heritage protection list in 2006.

Porcelains like these have been valued for their rarity and treasured for their preeminent qualities throughout history. Even today, the town of Longquan produces only a thousand pieces of porcelain a year.