in2ebook Chapter 559 Inheriting the Flame
Chapter 559 Inheriting the Flame
In late autumn, Qinglongpo was bustling with activity.
While Qingning Kiln's cultural and creative products are selling like hotcakes, another joyous occasion has also arrived as scheduled.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan, the Qingning Kiln Site was successfully approved as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage.
When Pei Luonan returned to Qinglongpo with the gold-embossed intangible cultural heritage certificate, the villagers had already set up a simple celebration platform in front of the kiln shed, and everyone's face was filled with joy.
"This certificate is the result of all of our hard work!"
The village chief held up the certificate, his voice booming.
"Thanks to Master Chen's lifelong dedication to his craft, thanks to the promotion and publicity efforts of Fanxing, Luonan, Feier, Haoyu and Jiu'er, and thanks to the 'Light and Shadow Documentary' team for filming our story so well, Qingning Kiln's reputation has spread throughout the province and it has been approved as an intangible cultural heritage!"
The craftsman gently stroked the gold-embossed lettering with his palm, his eyes welling up with tears.
“If my grandfather were still alive, he would be extremely happy. This craft has not only been passed down, but has also become an intangible cultural heritage.”
Just as everyone was immersed in joy, a young girl carrying a backpack squeezed through the crowd and timidly walked up to Craftsman Chen.
"Master Chen, my name is Lin Xiao. I am a ceramics student. After watching the documentary 'Kiln Fire and Craftsmanship,' I really want to learn how to fire porcelain from you. Can you take me as your apprentice?"
Craftsman Chen asked a few basic questions about porcelain firing: "How many times should you knead the clay? How do you judge the consistency of the glaze?"
Lin Xiao answered methodically: "You need to knead the clay three hundred times to remove the air bubbles; the glaze should be like rice water, able to cling to the edge of the bowl without dripping."
I also looked up the history of Qingning Kiln and learned that you used clay from Eagle's Beak Cliff and pine branches from sunny slopes.”
Craftsman Chen nodded in satisfaction, a smile spreading across his face.
"Alright! I'll take you as my apprentice! But porcelain making is hard work, can you handle it?"
Lin Xiao was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes, and she nodded vigorously: "I can! I'm willing to learn from you and pass on the craftsmanship of Qingning Kiln!"
The apprenticeship ceremony was held according to the old customs of Qinglongpo.
Three days later, the kiln shed was packed with people, and the "Light and Shadow Documentary" team also came to capture this precious moment.
In the days that followed, Lin Xiao became the most diligent person in Qinglongpo.
Every day before dawn, she would follow craftsman Chen to the kiln to knead the clay.
When mixing glazes, I would try again and again until I achieved the desired consistency before I would rest.
On nights when she was guarding the kiln, she learned from craftsman Chen to observe the color of the flames, record the changes in kiln temperature, and write down every word of the craftsman Chen said in her notebook.
"Preheating to 1,000 degrees Celsius with orange-red flames is just right for firing bright white porcelain; excessive blue flames can easily cause the porcelain to crack; guarding the kiln is like guarding one's heart."
The craftsman Chen generously shared his knowledge, handing over his grandfather's porcelain-making notes to her.
"This contains the experience of our elders. You need to think about it in light of the actual situation, and you can't just memorize it by rote."
He also took Lin Xiao to Eagle's Beak Cliff to select soil and to the sunny slope to pick pine branches.
“Every step of firing porcelain is inseparable from the gifts of nature. The clay must be from deep soil and the pine branches must be three years old. Only in this way can the porcelain have the glaze color of ‘sky blue after rain’.”
Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan are busy promoting the further development of Qingning Kiln intangible cultural heritage.
They contacted the local education bureau to launch the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Enters Schools" activity, bringing Chen Gongjiang and Lin Xiao into primary and secondary schools to teach students how to knead clay and carve simple patterns, thus popularizing celadon culture.
They also collaborated with museums to hold the "Qingning Kiln Intangible Cultural Heritage Special Exhibition," allowing more people to learn about the history and craftsmanship of Qingning Kiln.
They decided to fire a kiln of "intangible cultural heritage commemorative porcelain". Each piece was engraved with the words "Qingning Kiln · Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage", as well as the names of craftsman Chen, Lin Xiao and everyone who contributed to Qingning Kiln.
On the day of the lighting ceremony, everyone arrived at the kiln just as dawn broke.
Following the method taught by Craftsman Chen, Lin Xiao selected three pine branches of uniform thickness from a sunny slope, lit them, and carefully inserted them into the kiln opening, reciting the incantation her master had taught her.
"May the kiln god bless you, may the clay be even and the glaze smooth, may the firing temperature be stable and the porcelain crack-free, may your art endure forever..."
During the three days and three nights of guarding the kiln, everyone took turns on duty.
Lin Xiao was responsible for recording the kiln temperature, once every hour, and also drew detailed temperature change curves, marking the flame color at different times.
Craftsman Chen constantly monitors the color of the flames and adjusts the gaps in the kiln door from time to time to ensure that the fire temperature remains stable at 1200°C.
Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan are organizing the follow-up materials for the intangible cultural heritage application and are preparing to donate some of the commemorative porcelain to the museum.
Xiao Fangfei and Kong Haoyu were busy contacting the media, inviting them to film the firing process, and further promoting the intangible cultural heritage of Qingning Kiln.
On the morning of the fourth day, the moment the kiln door was opened, a wave of heat rushed out, carrying with it the rich scent of pine resin and celadon.
Lin Xiao was the first to enter the kiln and came out carrying a commemorative porcelain piece—engraved with "Qingning Kiln · Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage" and everyone's names. Sunlight fell on it, making it shimmer and appear more exquisite than the previous celadon.
"Master, I did it!"
Lin Xiao rushed excitedly to Chen Gongjiang's side, her eyes filled with tears.
Craftsman Chen patted her on the shoulder, very pleased.
“Good apprentice, from now on, the kiln fire of Qingning Kiln will be handed over to you young people.”
Everyone moved the commemorative porcelain onto the wooden board and arranged them in rows, like a small "blue sky".
The village chief picked up a commemorative porcelain piece and announced loudly.
"We will donate some of these commemorative porcelains to the provincial museum and the municipal intangible cultural heritage museum so that more people can see the craftsmanship of Qingning Kiln."
A portion was reserved for the village's exhibition hall as a testament to its heritage.
Another portion is dedicated to everyone who has contributed to the Qingning Kiln!
On the day of the donation ceremony, the director of the Provincial Museum personally came to Qinglongpo and was deeply moved.
"The inheritance of Qingning Kiln is not only the inheritance of craftsmanship, but also the inheritance of craftsmanship and culture."
You have brought intangible cultural heritage to life in a modern way, making more young people fall in love with traditional crafts, which is the most valuable thing.
Media reporters took photos and conducted interviews. Craftsman Chen and Lin Xiao demonstrated their porcelain-making skills, Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan introduced the achievements in kiln site preservation, and Xiao Fangfei and Kong Haoyu shared their experiences in promoting the craft.
When a reporter asked Lin Xiao about her future plans, she answered firmly.
"I want to stay in Qinglongpo, learn the craft from my master, and take on apprentices in the future so that the kiln fire of Qingning Kiln can keep burning."
After the ceremony, everyone sat together in the kiln shed, drinking tea brewed by Aunt Zhang and eating sesame cakes.
Lin Xiao took out Chen the craftsman's porcelain-making notes, which were filled with her insights and experiences.
“Master, I want to be like you in the future, taking on apprentices and teaching skills, so that the kiln fire of Qingning Kiln can burn forever.”
Craftsman Chen smiled and said, "Good! As long as someone is willing to learn, I am willing to teach; you should also do the same in the future, passing on your skills without reservation, so that the name of Qingning Kiln will be passed down forever."
Gu Fanxing leaned on Pei Luonan's shoulder, looking at the scene before her—the porcelain-making skills of Chen Gongjiang and Lin Xiao, the construction of the intangible cultural heritage education base, the villagers' experiential activities, and Ling Jiu'er's pottery shard data.
The setting sun shone through the bamboo blinds of the kiln shed, bathing everyone in its warmth and light on their faces and the celadon porcelain on the table.
Gu Fanxing suddenly realized that inheritance is never a matter for one person, but something that the whole society and all people can participate in.
Professionals make professional documentaries, artisans pass on their exquisite porcelain-making skills, and promoters share touching stories. Everyone shines in their own area of expertise, which is how the kiln fire of Qingning Kiln can burn ever brighter.
The warmth and affection of Qinglongpo are like pine branches under the kiln fire, burning silently and supporting this heritage, which continues from generation to generation.
As night deepened, the kiln fire in Qinglongpo was lit once again, reflecting the starry sky and the hopes in everyone's heart.
The story of Qingning Kiln continues.
The flame of intangible cultural heritage will never be extinguished.
The warmth of Qinglongpo, like the kiln fire, will forever remain in everyone's heart, becoming the most precious legacy for all mankind.