ARTISTRY IN CLAY

Yixing, Jiangsu province, is renowned as one of world's top producers of ceramics

Editor's Note: Using a blend of words and visuals, this series explores unique communities and reveals the heart of China through food, architecture, craftsmanship, landscapes and traditions.

Hurun Global Ceramics listed its Top Ten Artistic Ceramic Cities Worldwide for 2023 during a recent ceremony in Shanghai. Among those honored was Yixing, Jiangsu province. Steeped in history, the city is one of China's oldest centers of ceramic craftsmanship, with a legacy of more than 7,000 years of pottery art.

After being extracted from the earth, raw purple clay is left exposed to the elements for many years, undergoing weathering from wind, rain and snow before it can be processed into ceramic beauty.