Editor's Note:

Ancient artifacts,MKsports silent carriers of a country's memories and national spirit, can offer valuable insights into the appreciation of culture.

Every year, more than a billion visits are made to museums across China. Beyond the comprehensive museums, the specialized, dedicated museums also offer insights into cities, societies and the population.

The Global Times cultural desk presents you this Museum Wonders series designed to showcase how these cultural gems illustrate the essence of Chinese civilization and promote its great wisdom.

An interior view of the Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum Photos: Courtesy of the museum

At the Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum nestled in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi Province - China's "porcelain capital" - visitors are often drawn to a porcelain sculpture: the Thinking Arhat. With its serene expression and contemplative posture, this piece has become one of the museum's most beloved exhibits. 

The sculpture's image has been ubiquitous on social media platforms, where it is used to express moods or moments of reflection through memes or edited profile pictures.

"The widespread fascination with this sculpture reflects the unique ways in which today's younger generation engages with traditional culture. They no longer view it as something ancient and dull; instead, they integrate it into their own contemporary context, with humor and wisdom," Lai Jing, deputy curator of the museum, told the Global Times. 

"This breathes new life into traditional culture and illustrates how modern youth, through museum visits, are discovering the allure of heritage while also finding a sense of cultural belonging," she added.

The Thinking Arhatis just one of many masterpieces in the museum's collection, which spans from Neolithic pottery to celebrated ceramic works from the Han (206BC-AD220) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, up to the present, including over 1,600 nationally classified treasures. "The museum's diverse collection not only holds immense academic and artistic value, but also lays a reliable foundation for research into ceramic history and culture," added Lai.

The Thinking Arhathoused by the museum

Historical roots

The Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum, the first large-scale ceramic-themed museum in the country, opened its door in 1954. The museum houses more than 50,000 pieces, with ceramics accounting for more than 94 percent of its inventory.

Its permanent exhibition at the museum, titled This City is the Pinnacle of Porcelain Industryoffers a comprehensive presentation of over 2,000 years of ceramic-making history, more than 1,000 years of official kiln production, and 600 years of imperial kiln craftsmanship. 

In ancient times, Jingdezhen was a remote town. To escape war, artisans and nobles from the north migrated there, bringing with them advanced ceramics-making techniques. This influx of talent continuously revitalized Jingdezhen's ceramic industry.

Jingdezhen's production of porcelain, refined ceramics, has thrived uninterrupted for over two millennia thanks to the constant integration of the best techniques from renowned kilns across China, including Ru, Ding, and Junkilns.

Jingdezhen's famed Qingbaiporcelain (bluish white porcelain) ware is a prime example. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Jingdezhen's kilns produced a wide range of high-quality Qingbaiporcelain, blending the north-south divide of the Tang Dynasty's "southern blue and northern white" ceramic style. 

The museum's latest exhibition, "Exhibition of Jingdezhen Bluish White Porcelain in the Song Dynasty," showcases 256 pieces (or sets) of rare Qingbaiporcelain from the Song Dynasty. Curated by 12 leading cultural and historical institutions across China, the exhibition explores the origin, development, and global trade of Jingdezhen's Qingbaiporcelain, through artifacts such as dining ware, wine vessels, tea utensils, stationery, incense burners, and vases.

For centuries, porcelain has continuously embraced innovation, not only serving as a vital medium for cultural exchange between China and the world but also reflecting this dialogue in its designs and craftsmanship.

Yuan Dynasty imperial blue white prunus vase with "peony and lotus scrolls"

A connected world

"Chinese ceramic history has made a significant contribution to the development of global civilization. To some content, it is hard to find another item in the world like Chinese exported porcelain that serves as a cultural medium created through the collective contributions of multiple ethnicities, religions, customs, and cultures," said Lai.

The Qinghuaporcelain is one of the most prominent examples of cultural exchanges between the East and the West in ceramics. In particular, the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) Qinghuaporcelain represents a harmonious blend of techniques, materials, aesthetics, and cultural influences. 

One of the museum's crown jewels is a Yuan Dynasty Qinghuavase featuring intricate peony motifs. This piece exemplifies the merging of Eastern and Western aesthetics, displaying the fusion of design techniques and materials. The cobalt blue pigment, imported from Persia, combined with traditional Chinese porcelain-making techniques, created a style that became popular in both domestic and international markets.

Additionally, in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), overglaze decorative techniques like enamel painting offer vivid examples of how artisans incorporated foreign materials to further innovate porcelain. "Porcelain changes the world, and the world also changes porcelain," Lai said. 

"Jingdezhen ceramics are an important example of cultural exchange, mutual learning, and integration between China and the world."