A boy views Shanxi Fahua porcelain and grit ware in Yangquan city, on July 11. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

An exhibition and academic seminar on the inheritance and on innovation of Shanxi Fahua porcelain and grit ware opened in Yangquan city in North China's Shanxi province on July 11. 

Sponsored by Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism and Yangquan municipal government, the event focuses on the protection and promotion of Shanxi intangible cultural heritage and the establishment of grit ware industrial clusters in local Pingding county.

It also focuses on Yangquan's cultural image and the development of its arts and crafts, so as to boost local Fahua porcelain and the growth of the grit ware industry. 

Wang Aiqin, director of the Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism, hoped that the city would further explore and expand its local porcelain and grit ware resources, launch more competitive relevant products and develop unique arts and crafts brands. 

The 10-day exhibition is displaying more than 220 pieces of Shanxi Fahua porcelain from the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, innovative designs of color-glazed porcelain and Fahua porcelain, as well as classic grit ware from Yangquan city. 

In recent years, the city which boasts a long history of Fahua porcelain and grit ware development has been strengthening, protecting, promoting and innovating in the two traditional cultural heritage crafts. 

A number of traditional making techniques for Fahua porcelain and grit ware have been included on the lists of municipal, provincial and national-level intangible cultural heritage protection programs.

Officials said 69 innovative process or designs related to Fahua porcelain and grit ware have won national patents. The integrated development of arts and crafts, culture and tourism has been furthered in the city as a result. 

Moving forwards, the city will advance the upgrading of the local Fahua porcelain and grit ware industries and move to enhance its reputation across China and even in the world, according to Mayor Lei Jiankun.