Maxims of Ceramics
I have long held a whimsical belief that the ancient Chinese myth of "Nüwa refining five-colored stones to mend the heavens" is not only an epic tale of creation by Eastern ancestors but also intrinsically connected to the Western biblical story of God "forming man from the dust of the ground." I regard them as different yet sharing a common origin—both narrate the same watershed moment when civilization emerged from the primal chaos of gods and humans. This watershed is the birth of ceramics, characterized by "water as its bones, fire as its soul, and earth as its body."
God created humans, and humans crafted ceramics. Ceramics embody the codes of the divine and the wisdom of humanity. An elusive realm of metaphysical spirituality resides within the vibrant hues of material forms. The great cycle of their birth and decay constitutes a prolonged history of ceramics, advancing in tandem with human civilization.
Over five millennia, we have witnessed artifacts such as white pottery, cord-marked pottery, painted pottery, and matte-patterned pottery—vessels like pì (earthen jars), fǒu (earthenware pots), tǔ xíng (earthen utensils), tài zūn (ceremonial vessels), wǔ zèng pén (steamers and basins), and wǎ píng (clay bottles). In the subsequent three millennia, we observed the evolution of pottery into a glazed variant—"porcelain." This "successor to earthenware," adorned with beauty, underwent a radiant transformation in body, structure, form, and surface, completing its "rite of passage" through unprecedented firing. As Qu Yuan celebrated: "Since my inner beauty is so radiant, I add to it a graceful display."
The transition of ceramics from utility to artistry marks not only an expansion of practical function but also a significant leap in its lifeline. Ritual vessels, sacrificial objects, utilitarian ware, and decorative pieces in celadon, black, white, and brown glazes evolved from carriers of civilization into its very essence and true embodiment.
Over a thousand years, the Tang tri-color glazes, the five great kilns of the Song, the blue-and-white porcelain of the Yuan, the contrasting colors of the Ming, the cloisonné enamels of the Qing, and the myriad other ceramic arts all converge as crystallizations of wisdom, manifestations of art, vessels of emotion, and symbols of wealth.
The evolution of Chinese ceramics mirrors the rise and fall of the nation itself. Despite fluctuations, it has consistently been cherished and treasured worldwide, sustained by an aesthetic that values both Dao (principle) and Qi (form), coupled with relentless pursuit of ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship. So profound was its influence that during the early exchanges between Chinese and Western civilizations, it was even symbolically adopted as the national emblem—China.
Prosperity and decline resemble the cycle of life and death. A rational perspective, cutting through haze and mist, reveals the other side of ceramic flourishing. When Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou dynasty wistfully murmured, "After rain, the sky clears and clouds part—let such colors shape the future," he could never have foreseen that the future he ushered in would be a lopsided journey—one that prioritized material over creativity, refinement over substance, value over spirit, and imperial kilns over folk workshops. Thereafter, despite the crystalline beauty of agate glazes and the radiant blush of rouge reds in Song porcelain from Ru, Guan, Ge, Jun, and Ding kilns; despite the dazzling array of colors during the Hongwu, Yongle, Xuande, and Chenghua reigns of the Ming; despite the revival of artistry that harmonized myriad beauties with nature during the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong eras of the Qing—the main trajectory of ceramics ultimately declined due to the separation of Dao and Qi, leading to a conflict between substance and form. As for the rampant commercialism and price manipulations of recent years, they have plunged contemporary ceramics into a crisis where beauty and ugliness are indistinguishable, illusion replaces reality, vitality withers, and self-abandonment prevails.
Within the grand framework of the 21st-century renaissance of Chinese civilization, whether ceramics can rise from its ashes is undoubtedly the "Chinese Dream" of those who cherish it and the historic mission of China's "ceramic artisans." Establishing the "Li'an Ceramic Art Appreciation Hall" in the free trade port of Lingshui, Hainan, is both an aesthetic initiative and a wise choice, aligning with "favorable timing, geographical advantages, and human harmony."
Our direction is to bridge ancient and modern, contemplate East and West, attend to the minute and aspire to the grand. Our philosophy is to honor scholarship and technique, respect contemporaries and cherish the ancients, draw from tradition while fostering innovation. Our scholarly benchmark is to pursue poetic sensibility and refined creation, balancing Dao and Qi. This aligns seamlessly with the mission of Li'an Academy in disseminating civilization and offers a new interpretation of the Tang dynasty maxim: "First cultivate substance and insight, then refine artistry."
*以上内容根据刘传铭院长讲话稿整理
【亚洲华语文旅 编辑 曹琳 责任编辑 李毅】
