Liling's ceramic production has a history of nearly two thousand years.
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were large-scale workshops engaged in pottery production in the suburbs near Liling County (now Xinyang Nan Bamboo Mountain, Wangping, Hetang and other villages). The production of celadon began during the Song and Yuan dynasties.
In 1908, Liling created and invented the famous underglaze polychrome porcelain, which is made by first painting patterns on the semi-finished product, then applying glaze and firing it in a high-temperature kiln. After firing, the pattern is covered by a layer of transparent glaze, making it appear crystal clear and bright.
It combines the beauty of the body, glaze, craftsmanship, shape, and color decoration, possessing high aesthetic value and cultural significance. The underglaze polychrome porcelain won the gold medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, USA, which took Liling ceramics to the pinnacle of art and industrial development.
The production process of underglaze polychrome porcelain is extremely tedious and complex, and very difficult.
First, top-quality porcelain clay is selected for the embryo, and processes such as sedimentation, slag filtration, and iron absorption are carried out before shaping to ensure that the porcelain clay is free of other impurities.
Shaping requires the porcelain body to be polished very thin and smooth. The pigments used for porcelain painting come from glaze materials, rare earths, and colored metal minerals, some of which contain precious metals like gold, making them very valuable.
Polychrome porcelain is not only beautiful and generous but also has the advantages of being abrasion-resistant, acid and alkali-resistant, lead-free, and never fading.
Due to the environmentally friendly and lustrous characteristics of underglaze polychrome porcelain, since 1958, Liling ceramics have been selected as the daily-use porcelain, state banquet porcelain, display porcelain, and gift porcelain for Mao Zedong and other party and national leaders, becoming the prestigious 'national porcelain' and 'red official kiln'.
Liling's Qunli Porcelain Factory has repeatedly made daily-use porcelain for Chairman Mao, which is also known as 'Mao porcelain'. 'Mao porcelain' represents the ultimate in underglaze polychrome porcelain and also represents the highest level of Liling's porcelain-making industry at that time.
Since then, Liling has also made special porcelain for many leaders at home and abroad, further enhancing the reputation of Liling ceramics around the world.
'Wan Zi Qian Hong' Tableware (Picture 9): Hall 118 of the Great Hall of the People, which was Chairman Mao Zedong's favorite hall, where he worked, held meetings, received foreign guests, and rested all year round. The black ground full-flower Chinese tableware used in the hall was finely crafted in Liling. The painting adopts Liling's traditional underglaze color porcelain hand-painted Fen Shui decoration technique, ingeniously blending various precious flowers, with each containing elements of the other, some budding and some passionately blooming, competing in beauty, giving a sense of a splendid and luxurious floral tapestry, reflecting the prosperous scene of the harmonious coexistence of China's multi-ethnic family.
'Dan Feng Chao Yang' Tableware (Picture 10): Put into use in 2001, it is the first time since the founding of the People's Republic of China that the Great Hall of the People has officially used special tableware with a dedicated design for a state banquet. Due to the special nature of the state banquet, the design of this set of porcelain uses the national flower peony and the Chinese auspicious totem phoenix as decorative elements, and since the phoenixes all fly towards the national emblem, it is named 'Dan Feng Chao Yang'.
'Sheng Shi Fang Hua' Tableware (Picture 11): Put into use in 2018, it uses the national flower peony as the design material, and is exquisitely crafted using traditional entwined branch decoration techniques and Liling's pure hand-painting skills. The tableware pattern design is ingenious and continuous, with bright and gorgeous color matching, possessing a very strong Chinese cultural characteristic without losing a modern fashion sense.
Liling Ceramic Museum
Fork in the Road
Experience the millennium porcelain culture in Liling during the May Day holiday
During the May Day mini-holiday, I embarked on a journey to Liling, a place known as the 'millennium porcelain capital'. It attracted my attention as a distant traveler with its exquisite ceramics and unique food culture.
Early in the morning, the streets of Liling were filled with the aroma of stir-fried rice noodles. I ordered a bowl just like the locals, steaming hot. Golden eggs, green bean sprouts, and colorful mixed noodles were stir-fried in the pan, topped with soy sauce and chili powder, making the aroma irresistible. With the first bite, the rich texture and unique taste marked the start of a Liling morning from this bowl of stir-fried noodles.
In the afternoon, I visited the Porcelain Valley Flower Sea, where the 'Sing a Song Together' event was being held. Despite the drizzle, the audience's enthusiasm was undiminished. The appearance of Gan Wangxing took the atmosphere to a climax. His singing, like flames, ignited everyone's hearts. In the rain, we waved our umbrellas to the rhythm of the music, as if the whole world was immersed in this joy.
Leaving the Porcelain Valley Flower Sea, I arrived at the 1915 block. It seemed like a world of ceramics, with exquisite handmade ceramic works and artistic trinkets everywhere. In a small shop, I encountered the internet-famous 'Xiao Hai Ge Fried Rice'. The fragrant fried rice made me stop to taste. On the 1915 stage, instrumental performances and rock dances were performed in turn, showing me the passion and vitality of Liling.
In the evening, I went to the Two Sides of One River. An immersive Hanfu parade was taking place. Members of the Liling Hanfu Association, dressed in gorgeous Hanfu, strolled by the river. Their flowing robes and exquisite makeup seemed to transport me to an ancient court. In the parade, I also saw many tourists dressed in Hanfu, moving forward with the procession, feeling the charm of Chinese culture.
During my days in Liling, I also participated in the Taorunhui event. Here you could play games for free and win prizes, and I was lucky to get some exquisite porcelain pieces. There were also young men offering free photography for tourists.
This May Day holiday, Liling gave me so many surprises and emotions. The porcelain and food made me linger, and the culture and warmth earned my respect.
nyxaria_2033
You must visit Liuling this summer to witness a spectacular fireworks feast
📅 Itinerary:
Day 1️⃣: Arrive in Liuling, check into the hotel, and then you can choose to stroll around the Two Banks of the River scenic area to enjoy the leisurely charm of Liuling.
Day 2️⃣: During the day, you can visit the Liuling Ceramic Museum and the 1915 Ceramic Art District to experience the long history of ceramic culture. In the evening, head over to Liuling Stir-fried Rice Noodles Street to savor the local atmosphere and flavors.
Day 3️⃣: Go to the Liuling Ceramic Internet-famous Street and enjoy the fun of picking ceramics.
📌 Recommended Check-in Spots:
1️⃣ Liuling Ceramic Museum (China Ceramic Valley): Learn about the history and culture of Liuling ceramics, appreciate the fine ceramics from various periods, and experience the charm of Oriental ceramic art.
2️⃣ Liuling Stir-fried Rice Noodles Street: Filled with Liuling's delicious snacks, you can also check in at the ancient Liuling Gate and tour the Two Banks of the River district. Especially next to the river, you can enjoy fireworks freely, which is simply too delightful!
3️⃣ Ceramic Internet-famous Street: Navigate to Huasheng Ceramics, and you can take bus No. 2 or 5 from the city center.
🍽️ Food Recommendations:
1️⃣ Liuling Stir-fried Pork: Fragrant and tender, leaving a lasting taste.
2️⃣ Liuling Stir-fried Rice Noodles: Smooth and tasty, a local favorite.
3️⃣ Liuling Sauce Duck: Locals recommend Xiandu Spicy Sauce Duck (a bit pricey), so I chose Fengwei Sauce Duck, which is much more affordable and also tastes great! Friends who can't handle spicy food should be cautious when buying, after all, this is Hunan!
🚗 Transportation Recommendations:
You can take a high-speed train from Changsha, which takes about 25 minutes to reach Liuling.
Or you can drive there, about an hour's drive from Changsha, and you can even save on the toll fees during the May Day period!
💡 Tips:
1️⃣. Liuling Ceramic Museum is closed on Mondays, please plan your trip in advance.
2️⃣. The local food in Liuling is mostly spicy, so if you can't handle spicy food, remember to ask the waiter to adjust the flavor when ordering!
3️⃣. From May 1st to May 3rd, Liuling will also host the 'National Colors of Liuling' performance
⌚️Time | 19:30-21:30
Address | Taozi Lake·Peach Blossom Island
4️⃣. A series of activities such as free stir-fried rice noodles, free music listening, free matchmaking, etc.
⌚️Time | May 1st-May 3rd 10:00-18:00
Address | Two Banks of the River district
🎉 For May Day travel, don't just flock to Changsha! Come to Liuling to experience the charm of ceramic culture, taste authentic cuisine, and pick unique ceramics, and you're sure to create unforgettable memories!✨
quill_3142
Checked in at the Liling Ceramic Museum, with a surrounding travel guide included
Additionally, since there are so many exhibits inside
the museum has timed openings
I heard it's open from 9 am to 12 pm (no entry after 11 am)
and from 1 pm to 5 pm (closed at noon, no entry after 4 pm)
Usually closed on Mondays
Currently, Halls 1 and 2 are open to the public
There are also exhibition halls below, where you can buy ceramics on site
【Detailed Guide】
Morning: Breakfast at Liu Longzi Noodle Shop (Ceramics Mouth branch), both the soup noodles and fried noodles are delicious, Deng's Oil Fire (can't remember the full name, but they're all on the same street)
Morning: Visit the Ceramic Museum, which is quite large and requires about 2 hours
Noon: Dine at Ceramics Mouth nearby, where there are many shops, the God of Wealth Temple, and the Guanyin Temple for incense burning and praying, with ancient architectural charm
After dining, you can rest at the Porcelain Valley Book Bar
Afternoon: Considering the business hours of Taorun, go there first for photos and check-in, see if you need to buy ceramics based on your needs, if there's extra time you can go to the nearby Guoguang old factory to pick up ceramics (about a 10-minute drive), then visit the 1915 Liling International Ceramic Culture Characteristic District for fun, where you can also see art exhibitions
Evening: You can dine nearby, or choose a dining place based on the location of your hotel
ELI GILL
Liling Ceramic Valley | Beautiful Liling, the Ceramic Valley of China
Compared to Jingdezhen, I prefer this porcelain city recommended by National Geographic.
When it comes to porcelain, everyone first thinks of Jingdezhen.
Compared to this city full of Eastern aesthetics,
I love this lesser-known treasure of a porcelain city in Hunan - Liling more.
With its profound cultural heritage and buildings of various shapes,
Additionally, this city also has the reputation of being the hometown of fireworks.
It is indeed a place worthy of being listed by National Geographic.