We got lost in an abandoned craft site

The Tenmo team actually went to the thousand-year-old village where Tenmoku cups were produced to reveal the greatest secrets that are still well-kept. Well, what an adventure of surprises and learning! We tell you everything in this article that could almost be considered an adventure novel.

A total change of scenery

In May 2023 when the summer in China was still very harsh and severe, the Tenmo team went to Shuiji Village in Fujian region to meet the artisans again. Shuiji Village is nestled between the green mountains of the region and is located next to a small river. Of course, there is no bus or train to reach the village, renting a car seems to be an inevitable option.

The unbearable summer heat has forced the craftsmen to stay at home during the day, and the production of the cups only begins from 6 p.m., in a setting of sunset that is in turn hidden behind the mountain. While waiting to meet them, we decided to go and discover the thousand-year-old vestige of craftsmanship: the Shuiji dragon kiln.

For the record, the Shuiji Dragon Kiln was classified as the oldest dragon kiln site in China, but it was not excavated until 1999. The direct consequences of this fact: before this date, villagers could freely come and look for fragments of Tenmoku cups that dated back to the... 10th century! Some enjoyed using the fragments to build their homes, others came to find containers to feed their animals... The uses are multiple and creative to enhance these historical objects.

The galleys begin

It is obvious that our adventure cannot be so simple to be called an adventure: the site is certainly known but only by locals and some scientists. There is no tourist activity, which complicated our task to locate it. The GPS is naturally not reliable, it pointed towards the entrance of the village when we expected to see an impressive monument.

After a 30 minute drive, 1 hour hike and two hills, we, or rather a local policeman, helped us find our relic! Before the joy caught up with us and made our sweat count, we discovered that the gate is strictly closed… No tourist activity, no entry…

The wonder

For our dear readers, we took the trouble to take a photo through the keyhole, but of course we will explain this site to you in more detail, thanks to the photos taken by a few privileged people.

What we see here is what remains of the dragon kiln. The low walls on the sides as well as the shelter were built later to preserve the site. The dragon kiln owes its name to its particular layout leaning against a mountain. This structure allows the temperature to rise to 1350 degrees without modern machinery, which is truly a technological feat and the result of the wisdom of the time.

With this reproduction of the dragon kiln, we can clearly see that access to the kiln chambers can be done from both sides, with about ten chambers that allow for different effects on the ceramic pieces. The energy required for this exercise is impressive, it is for this same reason that the kiln is primarily dedicated to the service of the emperor. In addition, because we add to the already high cost of coal, the rate of defective pieces is around 90%. Believe us, if at the time we took out a beautiful piece of Tenmoku cup, the price was even prettier to see than a piece in today's museum.

By the way, the debris you see on the ground is the result of this high rate of loss. More than 500 years of operation gives a real mountain of debris. You can also see an example of reproduction from only a few years.

A real madness

To conclude this article, we have selected an exceptional cup to illustrate our point. This Tenmoku cup is made by Master Chen Huizhong, who managed to find a firing method after years of research, in order to obtain a bright blue without adding dyes or other industrial elements. To honor this blue, he named this collection “Blue Spirit”, which is in itself a praise of the magic of nature. Thanks to his creations in the “Blue Spirit” and “Flourishment” collections, Master has obtained well-deserved recognition from the Fujian region.

If you want to know more information about the dragon oven, you could also check out our dedicated article about the dragon oven.