A Veteran Potter

Text by Chen Yong, Wang Qi, Zheng Yi & Wang Yali Photos by Liu Zhongcan

On an unknown mound deep in Wujiashan Mountain of Yingcheng in Central China, stands a nameless kiln. There is only a kiln, a small workshop, and an old man who’s been there for his whole life.The old man, a 69-year-old potter named Hu Guangrong, is the owner of the kiln. His family have been potters for four generations. Mr. Hu started learning the art of pottery from his grandfather and father when he was a child.

Sandwiched between the Qingming River and Fu River, Wujiashan Mountain boasts clean water and moist soil. With claylike soil rich in quartz plus ample firewood, the village has a long history as the birthplace of “kiln pottery” ranging from large wares like water jugs and pots to smaller items like teapots and salt shakers. The locally made potteries may not be exquisite, yet it is definitely durable and functioning.

In his workshop, Hu wears an apron and puts the well-prepared clay on the rotating wheel to form and shape it.

Gently supporting the mouth of the muddy product with his left hand, Hu’s right thumb separates from the other four fingers around the pot’s mouth, while skillfully and slowly he forms a circle out of the bulging rim, which gradually encircles the mouth.

It involves 27 steps such as sourcing clay, preparing clay, creating form, trimming, drying, glazing and the like before a piece of handmade pottery comes into being. Hu used to make a clay body in an average of 3 minutes before the age of 40. “At that time, I could do the job with my eyes closed without making any mistakes, but not any more, I am getting older and older...”

Trimming the clay molding 拉坯

應城伍家山深處的一個土丘上，隱藏著一個窯廠。說是窯廠，其實連招牌都沒有。只有一口窯，一個棚，還有一個堅守的老人。

老人名叫胡光榮，今年69 歲，祖上四輩都是土陶制作手藝人，他從記事起，便跟祖父、父親制作陶器。

伍家山背靠清明河、府河，水土潔凈，黏土中富含石英砂，加上柴火充裕，歷史上，這里就盛產“窯貨”。大到水缸、大罐，小到茶壺、鹽罐，說不上精美，但個個適用、耐用。

窯邊工棚里，胡光榮系上布圍裙，將和好的泥土，搭上拉坯的轉盤，旋轉做成一個個土陶壺身。

就著厚厚的泥腳，胡光榮用左手輕輕撐扶著壺口，右手拇指與四個指頭分開，掐著口沿內外，慢慢將口沿捋出一圈鼓突的泥筋，口沿收緊。

Finished potteries after firing 陶器出窯

Entering his storage room, the neatly piled pottery attracted our attention. The big ones looked round and bulging, while the small ones seemed petite and exquisite. Their red earthen surfaces mirror the rays of sunlight. It is said that using the teapot made here can keep the tea cool and sweet, and the tea won’t become smelly overnight, even in the hot summer time. Some semi-finished products are kept on the other side of the room, which have been air-dried and ready to be fired in the kiln. The firing process in the kiln takes 6 to 10 hours, once every 10 days. The temperature of the kiln needs to be above 800℃, which he controls by experience.

When the kiln is being opened and the first batch of products sees the light, Ni Liping is always waiting outside. He is an online businessman in Yingcheng City, as well as a super fan of Hu.

In 2013, Ni Liping happened to learn of this unique potterymaking in Wushan Village. So he came to visit the village and got to know Hu. Since then he has frequented his kiln to purchase the earthenware, which he sold online through e-commerce platforms.

“This pottery is simple, natural, and traditional. With its traditional functions, it’s very popular among people interested in art, as well as health-minded circles at home and abroad.” Ni Liping said. “It is the best season now for drinking herbal tea. Drinking big leaf teas in these handmade pots is the best relaxation after a long day’s work.”

However, fewer and fewer locals can make pottery of this kind nowadays. “Young people are not keen on doing this anymore. I stick to it here for the time being. When I get older, I’ll ask one of my disciples to come back and take it over,” Hu said, with loneliness in his voice. “Really, pottery made of this clay-like earth can nourish one who is close to it.”

(Translation: Lu Qiongyao)

Hu Guangrong making pottery in his primitive workshop胡光榮在簡陋的工棚內制作陶器

Controlling the fire temperature in the kiln窯前把控火候

取土、和泥、打型、拉坯、晾坯、上色……一件土陶器，要經過27 道工序，方能成型。40 歲以前，胡光榮平均3 分鐘就能做好一把土陶壺的壺身。“那時，我可以拿布蒙上眼睛，純憑手感做，現在不行，年紀大了……”

進入棚內儲物間，一邊堆放的是各種已燒好的陶器，大壺圓圓鼓鼓，小壺嬌小玲瓏，濃濃的土紅色泛著光。夏天用這種壺泡茶，隔夜不餿，而且又涼又甜。另一邊，是已晾曬好準備入窯燒制的半成品，10 天一個周期，一窯土陶器要燒6到10 小時，800℃以上的窯溫，火候全憑經驗把控。

每到開窯的日子，倪理平必然在窯外等候。他是胡光榮的“鐵粉”，在應城做電商。

2013年，一次偶然的機會，倪理平知道了伍山村有燒窯制陶的絕活兒，于是慕名上門，從此兩人相識。

他定期來收購胡光榮燒制的土陶制品，通過電商平臺，網上“帶貨”。

“這些土陶制品樸拙純厚，兼具養生功能，很受海內外文藝、養生圈子內人士喜歡。”倪理平說，到了飲用涼茶的季節，土陶壺、大葉茶是人們辛勞一日的最好慰藉。

如今，會燒制土陶的人越來越少了。“現在年輕人哪個還做這？我一個人暫時守著吧，守不動時，讓在外打工的‘關門弟子’回來接手……”胡光榮的話語里，隱隱透著落寞，“其實，還是這種泥土制成的陶器養人啊。”