The fine balance between fire and clay

Fortunately, Song's perseverance paid off. After more than 400 trials and errors, his team hit a breakthrough by late 2018. They successfully stabilized the firing temperature for black pottery between 1200 and 1300 C, mastered the glazing techniques, and developed a pollution — and emission-free modern production method.

Song's innovation does not stop there. He is committed to reintroducing black pottery from displayed cultural artifacts back into everyday life as utensils, emphasizing the practical and innovative use of such ancient handicrafts.

For instance, he ingeniously adapted the aesthetics of Liangzhu cultural artifacts, including a three-legged container for water and wine, into coffee or tea sets suited for modern use. Such innovation is far beyond a triumph in product design. It brings black pottery out of museums and back into everyday life.

Moreover, Song registered a series of trademarks and design patents related to Tinglin black pottery in 2019, paving the way for its future commercialization and branding. "I hope to contribute more to my hometown community with the revitalized craftsmanship, including offering courses, attracting tourists, popularizing the craft, and creating jobs," he says.

Shen Shuying, 62, appreciates Song's diligent efforts, which allowed her to pick up black pottery making. Alongside Sun Yi, her 35-year-old son, she is enjoying each day molding the clay and inheriting the ancient craftsmanship at the Tinglin Black Pottery Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Park.

The local governments of Tinglin town and Jinshan district are also working with Song to protect and promote black pottery. Last year, the district's black pottery craftsmanship was added to the Shanghai intangible cultural heritage list. Pottery wares from across the nation are displayed in exhibitions in Tinglin, and an industrial alliance is in the making.

"I will further explore the integration of diverse techniques in black pottery design while continuously refining the firing processes. My goal is to make our black pottery ware able to compete with major international brands and art pieces," says Song with confidence.