Enter the Dragon Kiln

A visit to the historic potteries of Shiwan

Enter the Dragon Kiln
A visit to the historic potteries of Shiwan

Standing at the top, I could still feel heat coming from the ancient bricks. The kiln was built over 500 years ago and, apart from the occasional repairs, has been in use ever since. These days, it is fired about twice a month. I’d missed the previous firing by about six days. On my visit, the Nanfeng dragon kiln in Shiwan had already been swept and tidied and fresh wood placed at the bottom, ready for its next job. But inside, the breath of the dragon was still hot from the last firing.

I first heard of Shiwan while I was writing, Exploring Hong Kong’s New Territories. I was intrigued by the highly detailed ceramic dioramas depicting scenes of daily life or Cantonese opera. They would sometimes stretch along temple roof ridges or be built into a wall as part of the interior decor. Most often, they would be placed in spots where I had to crane my neck to see them and was rarely able to get decent photographs of them.

I knew them collectively as Shiwan ceramics, and that Shiwan was a district of Foshan in Guangdong. So with that smidgin of knowledge, I packed my bags, got on a train, and went to find out more. I was rewarded almost immediately, although unexpectedly. I arrived in Foshan mid-afternoon and discovered my hotel was just across the road from the Foshan Ancestral Temple.

This is a Taoist temple dedicated to the Northern Emperor, Beidi, or Pak Tai in Cantonese. It was originally built towards the end of the eleventh century but was rebuilt in 1372. It is a beautiful monument indeed, but what was particularly pleasing were the large numbers of very well-preserved ceramic figures. Also, within the grounds, there are some display cases with rescued roof ridge sections saved from other temples.

Beidi is a god of water, and at that time, the area was a major centre for iron smelting as well as ceramics. Foshan sits in the Pearl River Delta, so the god is tasked not only with taming the rivers but also protecting the town from the ravages of fire. And the local artists had honoured him well. The whole concept of adorning temple roof ridges with opera figures, wise men and warriors, flowers, phoenix, dragonfish, and other mythical beasts, was born at Shiwan.

Community of artists and potters

Today, Foshan remains the ceramics capital of China. Huge gas-fired kilns produce tiles for household use, such as roofing, floor, and bathroom. Other facilities make ceramics for high-tech uses such as semiconductors, insulators, batteries, and for medical use. But the arts community still prefers the unpredictability of the old dragon kilns.

Nanfeng Ancient Kiln (top). The bottom, or mouth, of the dragon (below left) and the body with the dragon eyes (below right)

At its peak, there were more than a hundred dragon kilns in Shiwan. Geology and geography both played their part. The region was blessed with abundant deposits of both white China clay from the Pearl River’s alluvial deposits and red clay, rich in iron oxide, from the surrounding hillsides. The hillsides also provided a palette of minerals for glazes, and forests for firewood. Being located close to the Dongping River, which connects with the Pearl River, allowed for easy transport to bring finished goods to the markets of Guangzhou and the world beyond.

The kilns themselves are long brick, dragon-like tunnels built on the side of a hill at an incline of around 15-20 degrees. The works to be fired are loaded from the top end and down the length of the tunnel. When all is ready, wood is kindled at the bottom and, as the heat rises through the kiln, more wood is inserted through holes, called dragon eyes, along its length. As temperatures reach their peak, the minerals in the glaze begin to melt and turn to glass. A firing usually takes around 24 hours, and temperatures can reach 1,100 to 1,300 degrees depending on environmental conditions.

Two artists at the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln, Chloe Zheng on the left, and some finished vases

Chloe Zheng, an artist whose studio is in the Nanfeng village, explained that in the rainy season, when humidity is high, the wood will absorb more moisture. It will take longer to achieve the requisite temperature, and the fired works will need more time to cool. These conditions give the glazes a slight milky look. In winter, on the other hand, the air is dry, the wood burns rapidly, so the desired temperature is achieved much faster. It also needs less time to cool and produces brighter glazes. Because of these factors, artists plan their work according to the seasons.

Nanfeng Ancient Kiln is the last of its kind still operational. Recognised as a national heritage site, it supports a lively and dedicated community of artists. Chloe’s own studio can be found at Zhonxin 25, where she creates beautiful and unique tea ware. But there are many other artists working in the village.

Wander a while along its picturesque lanes and alleyways, and you will find potters and sculptors creating bowls, vases, figurines, and anything else the imagination can come up with. I met one artist working on a diorama so small and exquisitely detailed that I needed a magnifying glass to fully appreciate the skill that went into it, another was adding the finishing touches to a figurine ready for firing.

A hands on experience at with the potters wheel (top), exploring the artists village (below)

There are also charming places to sit and chill over a coffee or iced tea and just absorb the atmosphere, or, for a small fee, visitors can take part in practical lessons, led by experienced potters, where they will learn just how much skill is required to turn a dollop of clay on a rapidly spinning potters wheel into a beautiful work of art.

Shiwan is on Line 2 of the Foshan Metro, which connects directly with Guangzhou South (Guangzhounan) railway station. Leave Shiwan metro station via Exit D and walk along Heping Road, turn right into Gaomiao Road, and the entrance is on your right. The distance is about 500 metres.

Hotel Suggestion
Homeinn Hotel, Foshan

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