Basic Introduction to Xingjing Sand Pottery
Xingjing Sand Pottery is a Han Chinese pottery craft from Gucheng Village, Liuhe Town, Xingjing County, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province. Xingjing is the main production area for sand pottery, and the making process includes several procedures: material collection, crushing, mixing, molding, drying, firing, glazing, removal from the kiln, and storage.
Product Features
Xingjing Sand Pottery has evolved from primarily being a household utensil known as the Xingjing Sand Pot to becoming a carrier of craft products with rich cultural connotations. Its artistic value now far exceeds its original utilitarian value as a household item. The products have become increasingly crafted and artistic, and due to their unique rustic charm, they have deservedly become a splendid rarity in the garden of folk crafts.
Historical Folklore
According to the Xingjing County Annals: Gucheng Village in Liuhe Town, Xingjing County, is rich in clay, and sand pottery production here has a long history. Archaeologists, in 1982, confirmed through excavated Qin and Han dynasty artifacts that sand pottery production dates back over 2,000 years. During the Qing Dynasty, in the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, there were Wang family members who made sand pottery, and Dai Kunshan and Zeng Yue learned the craft from them.
A local Xingjing legend tells of a high-ranking official on a southern tour a very long time ago. After a tiring journey through the mountains and hills around Guchengping, he was exhausted and thirsty. He ordered his servants to find hot water to quench his thirst. Servants visited several households, but the locals were too poor to offer anything suitable for boiling water. In desperation, one household quickly molded some wet clay into a container and used it to boil water. When the official drank this water, he praised it highly. Following this incident, the locals began to make various pots out of clay, which they then fired over wood fires, creating what we now know as sand pots. This is how the tradition of Xingjing Sand Pottery was passed down through generations.
Manufacturing Method
The manufacturing process includes several steps: material collection, crushing, mixing, molding, drying, firing, glazing, removal from the kiln, and storage. Each step requires meticulous attention, especially the molding and shaping, which are crucial to the craftsmanship of the sand pottery. The weight of the handwork, the intricacy of the patterns, and the degree of polishing all directly affect the quality of the finished product. The temperature during firing and the quality of the glaze also determine the final quality of the product.
Awards and Honors for Xingjing Sand Pottery
Xingjing Sand Pottery is part of the national intangible cultural heritage.