Rekindling 'ivory white' porcelain

This ancient artifact represents the very first documented piece of Chinese porcelain to successfully arrive in Europe, and the "ivory white" porcelain became a vital trade commodity along the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

Its restrained forms and luminous glaze appealed deeply to European courtly tastes. Examples quickly entered aristocratic collections across the continent.

This rich history deepened Kou's sense of personal responsibility toward his urgent cultural mission.

Yet Kou and his colleagues faced a massive hurdle — none had ever seen the original porcelain. They scoured ancient Dehua kiln shards for clues, analyzed chemical compositions, searched the region for suitable clay, and repeatedly adjusted the proportions of the raw materials.

"Whatever it took, we had to recreate it," Kou said.

After years of experimentation, the team successfully restored the "ivory white" firing technique in 1963, causing a sensation in the industry.

The revived porcelain was subsequently named Jianbai.

Kou gracefully weaves Chinese culture directly onto the vessels. The plantain leaf symbolizes unity and enduring friendship, the elegant ram represents gentleness and social harmony, while the blossoming peony symbolizes prosperity and perfection.

In 2016, two of his creations were displayed at the World Intellectual Property Organization headquarters in Geneva to showcase Dehua's ceramic copyright achievements.

The luminous vessels left deep impressions on international visitors and were subsequently added to WIPO's permanent collection. "International visitors were deeply impressed when they saw them," Kou said.

Ceramics are not only part of China's cultural heritage, but also an important expression of Chinese civilization, said Kou, adding that he hopes ceramic works with a distinctively Chinese aesthetic will be appreciated by more people around the world.

To better preserve the heritage, at the age of 74, Kou established his own studio, the Fuping Jianbai Porcelain Gallery, where he has worked with his children and grandchildren to keep the craft alive.

"This type of porcelain must be passed on to future generations. We cannot allow it to disappear again," he said.

Ye Ying contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhangyi1@chinadaily.com.cn