Pic story of inheritor of firing technique of Nixing pottery

Lu Jingping guides a worker to make Nixing pottery ware in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 3, 2020. As one of the four famous potteries in China, Nixing pottery is made of peculiar purple clay found on both banks of the Qinjiang River in Qinzhou. Before firing a piece of greenware, craftsman forms the clay into designed shape after complicated processes including milling and screening, and carves flowers, figures or landscapes onto its smooth surface. In the firing process, the minerals contained in the clay, such as iron and zinc, will finally give the finished work colors, without addition of any pigment. In 2008, the firing technique of Nixing pottery was added to the national intangible cultural heritage list. Lu Jingping, 60 years old, hailing from the city of Qinzhou, has dedicated himself to the making of Nixing pottery for about four decades. His hometown Qinzhou has a pottery-making history that stretches back to roughly 1,300 years ago. Love for drawing and pottery since childhood enabled Lu to enter the Nixing pottery factory in Qinzhou to embark on his career in 1979. His talent and hard work were noticed by Yan Zhaoming and Li Renping, the then well-known ceramic artists from whom Lu learnt not only the skills but also the art of pottery making. In 2010, Lu built his own pottery workshop. His adherence to time-honored pottery making methods and passion to pursue premium products enable his creations to gain a market share and draw throngs of customers. "Although the production is complicated, time-consuming and laborious, it's worth it," he said. Many of Nixing pottery pieces Lu made feature the integration of ethnic elements of Zhuang people and a modern touch. Lu's works have received accolades both at home and abroad. His superior techniques and rich experience won himself a national inheritor of the cultural heritage in 2018. To better pass on the tradition, Lu and some pottery masters compiled guide books on the making of Nixing pottery. A training base was launched in his studio in 2017 to foster professional potters. "The ancient art is part of our glorious history that we must preserve," he said, "I hope more young people will join me in carrying forward the tradition while tapping its innovative potential." (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)