Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites added to UNESCO World Heritage List
A report from Jiangxi International Communication Center states that the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List on July 25 during the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea. This designation marks China's 61st World Heritage site.
Located across the hilly landscape of Jingdezhen in East China's Jiangxi Province, the property preserves a complete handicraft porcelain production system that thrived from the 10th to the 19th centuries. The region's rich deposits of porcelain stone and kaolin clay, along with an extensive water transport network, enabled the city to become the leading center of porcelain production globally.
The heritage site includes 45 component areas covering 1,979 hectares, which span from historical porcelain workshops in the urban center to raw material extraction sites, transportation routes, and traditional neighborhoods. These elements together illustrate the full production chain of the industry. The World Heritage Committee recognized the site under UNESCO's cultural criteria No. 2, 3, 4, and 6.
According to the World Heritage Committee, the property showcases the innovative development of China's handicraft porcelain making technology, art, and industry, highlighting the profound impact of China's porcelain craft on the development of the global ceramic industry and cultural exchanges. The committee acknowledged the Chinese government's efforts in protecting and managing the heritage site.
Blue-and-white porcelain serves as a notable example of this heritage, created by merging Chinese porcelain-making techniques with Persian cobalt blue pigment. This style significantly influenced the "chinoiserie" movement that became prominent in European decorative arts during the 17th and 18th centuries.
At the World Heritage Committee meeting, Rao Quan, vice minister of culture and tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, represented the Chinese government and reiterated China's dedication to fully implementing the World Heritage Convention. He committed to enhancing the integrated protection, conservation, and sustainable use of the sites while collaborating with UNESCO and other member states to preserve the shared heritage of humanity.