Wang Jialiang and He Shanshan pose for a photo. [Photo/qz828.com]

Husband and wife Wang Jialiang and He Shanshan were both named the third Quzhou Master of Arts and Crafts due to their important contribution to the recovery of blue and white porcelain production techniques in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Wang Jialiang studied ceramic design and production in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province after graduating from middle school.

During his 12 years in Jingdezhen, he learned ceramic art and married He Shanshan, another ceramic art enthusiast. He also set up his own ceramic studio in Jingdezhen.

Ten years ago, Wang went back to his hometown of Kaihua on business and visited the Longtangu kiln site in Suzhuang town. He was amazed by the ceramic fragments scattered on the hill near the kiln site and began to study Longtan kiln ceramics.

According to Kaihua historical records, the Longtan kiln was put into use in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It produced five kinds of porcelain, including blue and white porcelain, white porcelain and purple and gold glazed porcelain.

In the summer of 2014, Wang and his family returned to Kaihua to start a business. "He went back to Kaihua to reproduce the glory of the Longtan kiln," said Chen Xinhua, a Chinese arts and crafts and Zhejiang ceramics expert who studies the Longtan kiln.

The couple tried more than 100 times and made more than 1,000 porcelain works to reproduce the Longtan kiln’s blue and white porcelain. Finally, in the autumn of 2020, they made more than 50 pieces of blue and white porcelain similar to those made using the Longtan kiln in ancient times.

In the past two years, the couple has made progress in helping preserve Zhejiang blue and white porcelain, reviving the Kaihua Longtan kiln.