Shenhou Ancient Town: Jun Porcelain Museum & Live Kiln Firing Experience
When the first morning light slips across the bluestone of Zouyu Bridge, the kiln masters of Shenhou Ancient Town are already kneading clay. Known as the “Capital of Jun Porcelain,” this living town still fires its wares at about 1,300°C, carrying on a Northern Song legacy of unpredictable kiln transforms — “one kiln, one color in; ten thousand colors out.” Wander the winding Ming‑ and Qing‑era streets where the scent of fresh clay hangs in the air; the clack of trimming tools and the display of prized Jun pieces in shop windows tell an old joke well: a fortune at home cannot match a single piece of Jun ware.
1. Jun Porcelain’s Time‑Stamped Imprint
The spirit of Shenhou hides in every glaze crack and kiln bloom. During the Northern Song, the town produced court Jun wares and reached historic prominence; the remaining Bolingweng Temple still honors the patron of local ceramics. In the seven square kilometers of the core area, 72 alleyways intersect like the crackle lines in a glaze. Gray‑tiled Ming roofs and carved Qing shop lintels form a textured urban tapestry. Don’t miss Zouyu Bridge — a seven‑arch stone bridge dating to the Jin dynasty. Its dozen stone lions witnessed countless porcelain caravans; from the bridge’s crown you can survey intact “shop‑front, workshop‑behind” rows that recall the town’s commercial past.
2. Intangible Heritage at Your Fingertips
In the Jun workshops flanking the old street, artisans still throw on the wheel by hand, using techniques passed down for generations. Visitors can try kneading clay and pulling a pot; the most unforgettable moment is watching a kiln opening. As the kiln cools, glazes erupt into colors like crabapple red, sky blue, and moon‑white — every piece becomes a one‑of‑a‑kind artwork. Visit long‑established studios such as the Yangzhi Jun Kiln to see masterworks like the rose‑purple drum‑nail basin that faithfully channels Song dynasty court aesthetics. On the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, the town stages a kiln‑opening ritual: kiln workers sing the ancestral “Kiln Opening Song” and strike open the kiln doors with wooden mallets — an evocative living cultural relic.
3. Flavors of Central Plains Tradition
No trip to Shenhou is complete without the local “Three‑Fen Banquet,” a regional meal built around vermicelli, wide rice noodles, and batter noodles. Head to Wang Family Old Teahouse in the heart of the old street; in its Ming‑Qing courtyard you can sip tea in Jun porcelain while tasting chrysanthemum batter noodles and sesame crisp bread — a small time‑travel. During the Jun Porcelain Cultural Festival the streets transform into a food corridor: regional snacks like Yuzhou braised mung jelly, Huo family pan‑fried buns, and the ever‑popular Li’s mutton soup line up to tempt visitors.
4. Immersive Cultural Treasure Hunt
The town at 7:00 a.m. is full of lived‑in atmosphere: watch an elder potter fire tea sets in a traditional “chicken‑nest kiln,” or overhear tea‑house debates in the local dialect about a glaze’s kiln‑effect. Rent a hanfu and visit Bolingweng Temple square; on Tuesdays and Thursdays catch Peking‑style Henan opera performances that resonate with the region’s ancient rhythms. For deeper engagement, join the “Jun Porcelain Mystery” interactive detective game to learn about glaze recipes and other intangible techniques. At Dragon Boat, Mid‑Autumn, and other festivals you may witness age‑old kiln‑worship rites and Jun porcelain lantern events.
5. Practical Visitor Guide
– Transportation: Take a tourist shuttle from Xuchang East Station (about 1 hour) or drive — set your GPS to “Shenhou Ancient Town Visitor Center.” The site provides a large eco parking area.
– Recommended visit length: Allow 5–8 hours to combine a 2‑hour pottery experience, 2 hours of street wandering, 1 hour of intangible heritage performances, and time for food.
– Tips:
– Main street shops accept Alipay; carry some cash for deep‑alley workshops.
– Best photo spot: second floor of the teahouse west of Zouyu Bridge — glaze colors against sunset are spectacular.
– Avoid weekend afternoon tour‑group peaks to enjoy quieter lanes.
As the sun sets and the old kilns glow gold, Shenhou’s Jun porcelain keeps being reborn in flame. This is a destination for collectors and curious travelers alike — a living classroom of Chinese civilization where flowing glazes become a private, unforgettable art in your memory.
