All activities / Craft Skills (Bladesmithing, Pottery, Glass) / Jingdezhen
Craft Skills (Bladesmithing, Pottery, Glass) in JingdezhenCN
The porcelain capital of the world — a city in Jiangxi Province that has produced ceramic ware continuously for over 1,700 years, supplied Song, Ming, and Qing dynasty imperial courts, and remains the world's most important ceramics production centre. Jingdezhen draws ceramic artists from every country; kilns and studios are everywhere, and the infrastructure for serious craft study is unmatched.
Why here
Jingdezhen has produced ceramics for over 1,700 years. The city supplied Song, Ming, and Qing dynasty imperial courts with porcelain — the material that defined Chinese cultural prestige for a millennium and that gave the Western world its word for fine ceramics ("china"). Today it is a functioning art city: The Pottery Workshop (PWS) runs professional residencies and structured workshops for all levels with full English support; Jingdezhen International Studio provides semi-private studio access on the Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue; and the Ceramic Institute has educated over 3,000 overseas students. The infrastructure for serious ceramics study — wheels, kilns, raw materials, master instructors — is unmatched anywhere.
Best months
Workshops run year-round indoors. The ceramic arts scene has no off-season — studios and residency programmes maintain consistent schedules. Jingdezhen's climate is subtropical with hot, humid summers and mild winters; the best months for comfortable outdoor exploration are March–May and September–November.
Getting there & around
Jingdezhen has its own airport (JDZ) with domestic connections via Shanghai and Beijing; the city is also 2–3 hours from Nanchang (KHN) by high-speed rail. The Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue — the hub for international studios — is 2km from the city centre. Book residencies and workshops well in advance; The Pottery Workshop's programmes fill months ahead.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Jingdezhen International Studio
SchoolA contemporary ceramics studio and residency hub on the Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue — a redeveloped industrial ceramics complex that is now Jingdezhen's most concentrated international arts district. The International Studio offers private and communal studio space with 24-hour access, kitchen, accommodation, and bilingual coordinators, accommodating up to 10 resident artists simultaneously. The program is designed for intermediate and advanced ceramic artists seeking extended studio time in the world's most historically significant ceramics city.
The Pottery Workshop
SchoolFounded in 1985 and now operating studios in Jingdezhen and Shanghai, The Pottery Workshop is Jingdezhen's most internationally connected ceramics school — the first port of call for foreign ceramic artists seeking structured access to the city's facilities and traditions. All workshops include English translation; the curriculum runs from single-day introductory sessions to multi-week residency programmes with 24-hour studio access, on-site accommodation, and bilingual coordinators. The Workshop also maintains relationships with local kilns, clay suppliers, and Jingdezhen's artisan community.