Summary of the Core Content
Jingdezhen's "Handicraft Porcelain Heritage" has been successfully inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 61st world heritage site. This is also China's first application for recognition as an "industrial heritage." The application did not focus on individual kiln sites but covered the entire porcelain-making industry chain, from raw material extraction (kaolin and porcelain stone mines) to fuel supply (kiln wood production areas), production (workshops and kiln sites), to transportation (ancient docks), providing a comprehensive view of Jingdezhen's handmade porcelain industry from the 10th to the 19th century. The process of applying for World Heritage status took 11 years, involving three adjustments to the theme, reflecting a continuous effort to demonstrate its "universal value" and to improve protection plans. While the success brings international recognition and enhanced protection, there is also a need to be cautious about the risk of overdevelopment.
I. This Application Didn't Just Focus on Kiln Sites; It Covered the Entire Porcelain-Making Industry Chain
Many people think that applying for World Heritage status means protecting a few old kilns, but Jingdezhen took a bold approach by presenting the entire porcelain-making process. The application included five main areas:
- Raw Materials: Kaolin mines (the source of kaolin, the core material for porcelain), and Changling porcelain stone mines (used as a basic ingredient).
- Fuel: Jiaotan kiln wood production area (a major supply of timber for firing kilns in the past).
- Production: The central porcelain-making areas of Jingdezhen town, including workshops for shaping and decorating pottery, and ancient Hu Tian kiln sites.
- Transportation: Ancient docks where the finished porcelain was loaded onto ships for shipment.
This encompasses every key step in the process from extracting raw materials to selling the final product, fully reconstructing a thousand-year-old handmade porcelain industry system—a living, interconnected chain rather than isolated elements.
II. China's First Application for "Industrial Heritage": What Makes Jingdezhen Special?
The term "industrial heritage" may sound impressive, but it actually refers to the entire set of facilities and skills that drove global development in the past. Examples include British mining areas and Japanese Meiji industrial sites from the Industrial Revolution. However, Jingdezhen is unique:
- Manual Labor: Unlike other countries' industrial heritages powered by machines, Jingdezhen's heritage relies on human craftsmanship and traditional methods.
- Long-Term Sustainability: The industry has persisted for over a thousand years, from the 10th to the 19th century, which is rare worldwide.
- Integrated Ecosystem: Each link in the chain—from raw materials to transportation—is interdependent, forming a self-sufficient industrial ecosystem.
This is what sets Jingdezhen apart and makes it stand out among world heritage sites, demonstrating the vitality of traditional industries through manual labor and time.
III. Applying for World Heritage Status Is More Than Just Getting a Stamp; It's a Long and Rigorous Process
Applying for World Heritage status is not as simple as writing an essay; it's a lengthy and meticulous process:
1. Meeting the Hard Criteria: Demonstrating Universal Value (OUV): The application must show that the heritage is significant to all of humanity, not just China. For Jingdezhen's porcelain heritage, this requires evidence of its influence on global ceramic culture (e.g., European porcelain imitations of Chinese designs), supported by historical, archaeological, and cultural research.
2. Effective Protection Plans: The application must include detailed plans for preserving the heritage, such as measures to prevent damage and mechanisms for long-term management. For example, the restoration of the old town and archaeological work at kiln sites are necessary to prove that Jingdezhen can protect its heritage effectively.
3. Time-Consuming and Complex Process: The application process took 11 years, with three revisions to the theme (from "Imperial Kiln Sites" to "Series of Kiln Sites" to "Handicraft Porcelain Heritage"). The United Nations only holds a World Heritage conference once a year, and applications must wait in line for review.
IV. Opportunities and Challenges After Successful Application
The success of the application marks a new beginning:
- Opportunities: Improved protection, international recognition, and economic benefits, such as enhanced local protection laws and professional management (e.g., restrictions on demolishing old workshops).
- International Promotion: Becoming a world heritage site enhances Jingdezhen's cultural reputation and boosts its national soft power.
- Tourism Growth: It can attract more tourists, boosting the local economy through accommodations and cultural products.
However, there are also challenges:
- Preventing Overdevelopment: Some sites have been removed from the list due to overdevelopment, such as the Elbe River Valley in Dresden, Germany, which lost its status due to the construction of a bridge, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, which suffered coral bleaching from commercial activities. Jingdezhen must avoid similar issues and protect the integrity of its heritage.
In Conclusion
Jingdezhen's successful application for World Heritage status provides international protection for its thousand-year-old porcelain culture. Whether this heritage can be preserved and developed sustainably depends on how well it is managed in the future. After all, the value of a world heritage site lies in keeping it alive and vibrant, not just in making it a symbol of fame.