Ceramics and No Water

How do you describe it? No easy way really. So I’ll just try to tell what happened. But I have to say, today was like two different days, one not so good, one wonderful.

Last night when Grace and I got back to the room, I checked email. There were several emails from a friend of ours in Sarasota, Irene. She was trying to “warn” us that she had just heard that Xiamen, our next stop, had a “water stoppage”. Now, you might ask what that means. Well, it is hard to say, but what went through our minds was a city of 5-6 million inhanbitants without water for five days.

Not a pretty site from here. Besides, we were going to stay in an apartment, which means we would be fending on our own, and with limited language skills. Now, I am a pretty resourceful guy (I’ll pause here for the laughter) . . . . . . , and Grace is pretty good with Chinese in a pinch, BUT.

To make matters worse (aren’t they always?) it was Friday evening. On top of that, we had scheduled an out of town all day trip Saturday up to some remote dragon kilns and ancient pottery sites. Those are once in a lifetime opportunities for most, only available through another friend here in Jing de zhen, Baixu.

Sooooo

Emails back and forth to Irene. Emails to Vivien (a friend and government official in Xiamen asking for assistance, which of course was after she got off work) and some pretty heated talk between Grace and me as to what next. Driver was due at 7:30 am in the lobby Saturday.

We got up, I don’t think with a plan, but some apprehension, ate a good Chinese breakfast, and met our driver. First stop a ceramics market at a fantastic operation here called The Pottery Workshop. That is where Baixu works and it is something anyone with a potter background or interest should check out: www.potteryworkshop.com.cn. They offer a great international residency program for potters, and they are here from every continent I believe.

Baixu, I should say has gone way beyond what we should expect of a friend, and has assisted us immensely. We have already taken two days of her time, and maybe we now need her assistance again.

Grace and I shop around the booths set up by students and faculty, and Grace even finds a couple of things to buy. Surprise! We also run into Albert, who courteously picked us up at the airport and got us to the hotel by personal car. He is in the ceramics business here, and can fix you up if you want to import from here: anything ceramic, they make it all. He also happens to have one of the permanent shops on the square, with some outstanding works on display.

We locate Baixu, and I explain our situation. She assists again. She makes several calls for us, and we switch plane tickets (well, not exactly switch, we buy another ticket for Tuesday instead of tomorrow, Sunday), but she cannot get tickets for the connecting flight. Guess we will not be going to Xiamen Sunday. We also use her cell to talk to Vivien, who says yes, there is a water repair going on in Xiamen, but agrees to check out several hotels, call us (that means Baixu) back, and let us know.

10:00 am now, and Baixu is worried we will spoil our day’s plans. She and the driver talk again, and we leave with possibly a reduced itinerary, depending on time. My mind says this is day two, but still Saturday.

All the worry behind, we head for the mountains around Jing de zhen, and older ceramics sites. We visit an operating dragon kiln at Tian Bo that is maybe 40 meters + in length, wood fired. Not firing today, but must be a site to see when it is. Today, this kiln makes primarily the Chinese roofing tiles used throughout the area, and some large stoneware pots for storage of liquids and such. We meet the owner/operator, get a close up look, at every aspect, including the work areas where they make and dry what is fired. Baixu’s connections are invaluable.

Wowsers is all I can say. I have tried to explain several times to Baixu what the expression “A kid in a candy store” means. Think she understands, and that is where I am and have been for several days. As a ceramics collector, Jing de zhen is Heaven on Earth, incredible. I am walking around most of the time with my mouth open.

Leave there and head to Yaoli Village. Yaoli is a very old (even by Chinese standards, which put our US “old” to shame) mountain village, but on the main route for Kaolin clay, the stuff that makes real porcelain possible) so a wealthy place long ago. We visit a Ming Dynasty (that is about 1300-1600 AD) family home, walk around the twisted and cobbled streets, and we even cross a “bridge” over the river. More like four well, maybe six logs (6 inch diameter?) trimmed and supported every twenty feet by a cross piece under. Yes, it does “give” as you walk, but thankfully does not sway also. Grace is a trooper, but when I ask her to walk back out on it to take her picture, I have to duck. 

Then to the Yaoli Museum for the Cheng Clan. Another, even larger family home with even a school included. I have pictures, took enough that my batteries ran out today. I am surprised at the display here of revolutionary “stuff”, especially in this family home. These are the very people Mao and his forces were out to eradicate in the communist movement, the wealthy landlord class. But then I realize that these mountains were actually one of the revolution’s strongholds. Nanchang and its citizens, just west a small distance, has always been a hotbed and loyal follower of Mao’s teachings.

Back to the car, but not into it just yet, lunch first (1:00 pm) at the driver’s uncle’s best friend’s restaurant. Who would have guessed? Only me, Grace, and the driver eating, but good local food, and we sat at a porcelain table on porcelain stools. Blue and white, maybe five feet in diameter, pictures to follow I am sure. Life can’t get much better than this, except for the water and reservations troubles a world away right now.

Up, up a narrow road through an area that reminds both Grace and I of the Great Smoky Mountains in the eastern US. Get to a stopping point, and he suggests a walk to a waterfall up near the top. That is another maybe 700 feet to the top from where I stand, or rather sit. I tell him there is no way. I might add we are at a quite high elevation, the driver has asked several times coming up today if my or Grace’s hearts were OK. I think he is secretly happy, but he does not show it. Back down, most of the time out of gear, riding the brake. He does not have much experience driving in mountains I don’t think. You should use your transmission instead of your brakes when going downhill as that prevents the brakes from overheating and possibly failing. I don’t share that with Grace by the way.

At this point I might add that the driver does NOT speak English. Well, not at a conversational level. But Grace and he are definitely connecting, her asking what the word in Chinese is, and he trying out certain phrases on her. Also, we have seen three foreign tourists all day, and those while sitting eating lunch. I think that means we are off the beaten path? Yep, think so, thanks again Baixu.

Another stop, this at an ancient kiln site, kind of like a national park area. Gotta go for this, we are possibly not coming back. Grace agrees, but feet are, what should I say: bothering us? Does not quite say it right, more like screaming at us. Down the path, come across a “shop” where Kaolin is prepared and dried into bricks, the traditional way to ship it down to Jing de zhen. Another trek and we come across an open building where potters once worked. There are three wheels and several tourists are trying their luck. Grace declines at first, but her artist side kicks in and she starts potting or whatever potters call it. Several of the locals are impressed, she obviously knows what she is doing. The previous tourists do not, so they too are impressed. Of course Archie offers words of encouragement and is told to mind his own business. Archie can always find words of encouragement, but Grace has a different take on those words.

Love is grand, isn’t it? Yep, 43 years is it? Wowsers again.

We finish and start walking again. If you want to come to China, you need to start early walking, and when tired, walk some more. Especially if you live in a flat place like we do. The walking here is up and down, and the only thing that will prepare you are stairs or riding a bicycle.

Another of those narrow, plank bridges, this one may be narrower, but at least it is only across a 50 foot river rather than the 300 foot wide one we crossed earlier.

Up the trail, rest, up some more, then thankfully down a slight hill to three more dragon kilns. None of these are working, all abandoned around 1850 when the Taipings went on their rampage and destroyed Jing de zhen. Shards or broken ware of the Ming Dynasty abound, probably many from much earlier, I see ware on the ground that spans literally centuries. But a national park, so I do not try to pick any up or take anything.

Finally back to the car, and we are both bone tired, really. I say “Jing de zhen da judian”, in my best Chinese, and the driver laughs. He heads us towards the hotel, thank you.

Baixu has had the plane tickets delivered so we go by there and get them and talk to her a short bit. But we both feel exhausted and we have certainly taken up enough of her time. So back to the hotel, and hopefully a good night’s sleep. We have earned it, trust me. Tomorrow, Sunday will be a day of rest for us.

More emails to Vivien and Irene, and to the travel agent in Florida. Hope all works out in Xiamen, Jing de zhen has certainly been a treat.