Explore Taoxichuan: Jingdezhen’s Ceramic Revival in China’s Industrial Heritage

When industrial heritage meets ceramic art

The tall red-brick chimneys still stand, but they no longer billow kiln smoke; the terrazzo floors of old workshops now host avant-garde ceramic installations. Taoxichuan Cultural Street in Jingdezhen — reborn from the state-run Universe Porcelain Factory — is a vivid demonstration of the city’s ceramic renaissance. Strolling here you feel two compelling faces of Jingdezhen: fingertips tracing weathered bricks that carry 600 years of porcelain-making textures, and creative market stalls where young makers mold quirky ceramic cups pulsing with contemporary design. UNESCO’s designation as an “innovation pilot zone” becomes tangible in the warm glow of every studio, in each piece that subverts tradition, and in the evening 3D light shows that turn century-old industrial buildings into massive canvases.

1. An unrepeatable kingdom of ceramic creativity

“Old factories are containers of history; we pour a new-era spirit into them.” This slogan captures Taoxichuan’s essence. As a rare exemplar of industrial heritage transformation in China, it preserves 22 industrial relics — from 1950s Soviet-style sawtooth roofs to old kiln sites — while cleverly integrating modern glass facades and steel frameworks. The collision of past and present has made Taoxichuan a Mecca for ceramic lovers worldwide.

Three must-experience highlights:

– Weekend creative market: Open Friday to Sunday afternoons, over 200 stalls fill the Chimney Square. Offerings range from heritage blue-and-white porcelain by master artisans to cyberpunk ceramic dolls by post-95 makers. You might find a ¥30 blemish-sale piece or encounter a collector’s item priced in the tens of thousands. Local artist Master Wang’s stall is always packed — his signature “kiln-transformation gold-thread glaze” gleams honey-like in sunlight.
– Cross-disciplinary museum experiments: Taoxichuan Art Museum feels like a lab for ceramics. The second-floor permanent exhibition, “From Kaolin to the Metaverse,” uses holograms to deconstruct the 72-step traditional porcelain process. The third floor hosts cutting-edge shows — for example, a viral exhibit that recreates the Qingming Riverside painting with porcelain tile mosaics.
– Nighttime magic: The “Porcelain Light & Water” show starts at 19:30 and is a photographer’s dream. A German design team created naked-eye 3D projections that make the red-brick walls “grow” dynamic blue-and-white patterns; the old chimneys transform into giant rice-paper scrolls that display contemporary calligraphic glaze works.

2. A ceramic shopper’s paradise and a feast for the palate

Shopping guide:

At Taoxichuan, shopping is a cultural decoding exercise. Shops fall into three main camps:
– Master studios: Places like “Clay & Fire Legend” showcase works by nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage holders. A hand-painted enamel tea set can take up to three months to complete and retail between ¥5,000–¥20,000. Staff will demonstrate how to examine glaze translucency using your phone light.
– Young maker brands: Affordable designer items from labels such as “Tao Xiao Yao” (constellation mugs) and “Broken Vessel” (crackle-glaze earrings) cost about ¥80–¥300 and often offer on-site engraving. The underground exhibition hall’s “university incubator zone” regularly debuts experimental pieces by Jingdezhen Ceramic University students.
– Lifestyle concept stores: “Song of Earth & Fire” curates ceramics alongside bamboo tea mats and plant-dyed textiles. The second floor hosts a DIY throwing area (¥128/hour, firing included).

Food and refuel spots:

The industrial-chic eatery “Kiln Worker Canteen” plays with ceramic elements — a pizza oven built from old kiln bricks bakes Jiangxi-style savory flatbreads, and tableware is made from upcycled imperfect ceramics. Sweet-tooth visitors should visit the “Blue-and-White Café,” where the signature “underglaze-red latte” is crowned with fine crazing patterns like porcelain glaze. For a deeper culinary experience, reserve a private “Ceramic Banquet”: the chef serves a modernized clay-simmered chicken on Song dynasty-style celadon, interspersed with live throwing demonstrations.

3. Immersive experiences and hidden gems

Deep-dive events calendar:

– During the international ceramics fair each October, the entire district becomes an open-air exhibition. Top brands such as Arita (Japan) and Meissen (Germany) bring limited pieces.
– On the last Saturday night of every month, the “Night Kiln Opening Festival” lets visitors witness the dramatic reveal of wood-fired wares, still warm from the kiln.
– Unexpected delights: The small “Sound Museum” tucked in a factory corner archives tool noises from the 1950s to today — plug in headphones and hear the distinct frequencies of clay being kneaded through the decades.

Local insider spots:

– Photographers love the rooftop platform above Warehouse C12, where the sawtooth roofs frame a skyline that juxtaposes industrial heritage and modern city silhouettes.
– The niche “Broken Porcelain Research Lab” turns Ming-dynasty kiln shards into wearable jewelry, each piece accompanied by an archaeological certificate.

4. Practical tips: transport and how to avoid pitfalls

Best times to visit:

Weekday mornings are quiet and ideal for in-depth exploration; weekend afternoons host the liveliest markets but expect queues. Bring an umbrella in the rainy season — the red-brick ground develops a glaze-like sheen when wet, beautiful but slippery.

Getting there:

– Taxi: Jingdezhen Luojia Airport is about a 20-minute taxi ride (approximately ¥35).
– Bus: Take routes 1 or 11 to the “Taoxichuan” stop; look for the giant ceramic chandelier sign above the platform.
– Driving: Navigate to “Taoxichuan Underground Parking”; the first two hours are free. On weekends arrive before 10:00 to secure parking.

Invisible rules and safety tips:

– Bargaining at the market: Starting negotiations around half the asking price is common, but respect fixed prices labeled “student work.”
– Payment options: About 90% of shops accept Alipay, but bring cash for antiques.
– Transporting ceramics: Be cautious when moving large pieces; most shops offer nationwide shipping services.
When the final projection — a sweeping landscape in porcelain tones — lights up on a screen repurposed from an oil drum, you’ll understand why Taoxichuan has become Jingdezhen’s new emblem. This is more than a shopping district; it is a living ceramics DNA lab where ancient techniques are reborn in young hands and industrial memory is re-encoded as contemporary aesthetics. Bring an empty suitcase — every object you take home is a chapter of the porcelain capital’s story.