Shiwan Ceramics: Looking Backward to Move Forward
The Shiwan area is an essential base for Chinese ceramic traditions. The history of Shiwan ceramics can be traced back to the Neolithic era; it was fully developed during the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. Traditional Shiwan ceramic art has several unique features that the renowned Shiwan researcher Liu Chuan summarized as quaint, sincere, bold, and massive, in his book Lun Chuan Shen (Vivid Expressiveness).1 While the value of traditional arts is recognized, their protection and possible development remains challenging.
There are many ongoing discussions regarding strategies to preserve and promote traditional arts and crafts in China. Craft researchers Gong Jianpei from the Nanjing Arts University and Wu Qiong from the Chang Zhou Institute of Technology conclude we should use new technology or new materials to make traditional crafts suitable for modern life.2, 3 Professor of Craft Studies Zhu Gekai from Su Zhou University, suggests three different ways to achieve this: first, separate context from the crafts, and give new context to traditional crafts. Secondly, separate the manufacturing methods Groth from the crafts, and use new technology to make traditional crafts. Thirdly, separate utility from the crafts, to improve function for everyday use.4
However, if we change the materials or manufacturing methods
