Jian ware in Fujian province

The "Jian kiln" in Jianyang, Fujian province, was once one of the eight most renowned kilns of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Its signature black-glazed porcelain, known as Jian ware, was highly sought after and widely exported via the Maritime Silk Road. After the Song Dynasty, the craft of making Jian ware was lost for centuries due to war and other factors.

In recent years, thanks to the joint efforts of local governments and pottery artisans, the technique has been rapidly revived and developed. The "Jian ware firing technique" has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage, and many long-lost methods and formulas for making Jian ware have gradually been restored.