2 days ago
How China's porcelain capital is attracting international talent
BEIJING (June 13): In her sunlit studio tucked away in China's porcelain capital Jingdezhen, French ceramic artist Camille Grandaty is immersed in her latest sunflower-themed series.
To Grandaty, the beauty of life in a foreign land is a constant spark for creativity.
As she taps open her photo gallery and scrolls through images, her playful imagination comes to life: the legendary character Wu Song sporting sneakers, the mythological Nezha with a head of blue hair – fusing whimsy and tradition, the East with the West.
A thousand years ago, Jingdezhen porcelain journeyed across the Maritime Silk Road.
Today, the city continues to attract global talent – including Swiss artists, French museum professionals, and Italian traders – all united by their passion for ceramics.
In recent years, Jingdezhen has seen not only a steady influx of domestic migrants but also a growing international community.
Among them are nearly 5,000 foreigners who have become part of a vibrant, drifting community known locally as 'Jingpiao'.
The term blends 'Jing', short for Jingdezhen, with the Chinese word piaoliu, meaning 'to drift'.
Much like Beijing's Beipiao, Jingpiao refers to those who've chosen to live, create and chase dreams in this ancient porcelain capital.
'We've established several service stations specifically for foreign 'Jingpiao,' offering policy consultations, community events, and more,' said Chen You, deputy director of the service center for ceramic talent in Jingdezhen.
The city supports foreign artists applying for major national and provincial talent programmes.
To date, more than 20 individuals have received grants or awards in recognition of their work.
To support this growing creative community, Jingdezhen has rolled out initiatives like innovation platforms, talent funds and international exchange programmes, fueling cross-border collaboration and revitalizing the city's centuries-old ceramic tradition.
Thousands of miles away, Iznik, Turkey's own porcelain capital, is Jingdezhen's sister city.
Cultural exchanges between the two have flourished.
'The future of ceramics depends on human creativity,' said Iznik's Deputy Mayor Ahmet Kaya, recalling his visit to Jingdezhen in a WeChat post.
'And that creativity is sparked when different cultures and mindsets meet.'
After living in Jingdezhen for a decade, Grandaty is now fluent in Chinese.
As she applies for a permanent residence permit, she is ready to further develop her artistic style – a fusion of Eastern and Western influences shaped by years of cross-cultural experience. – Xinhua
