Dehua County in FujianProvince, known as a "thousand-year-old county", is famed for its fine kaolin clay, from which its world-renowned white porcelain is made. Dehua ceramics are crafted using traditional techniques such as pinching, molding, and carving. The finished pieces are white as snow, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and resonant like a chime, earning Dehua the title of "Mother of World White Porcelain". As the saying goes, "the world's finest white porcelain is in China, and China's finest in Dehua".

Dehua kilns flourished during the Tang and Song dynasties and reached their peak in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, Dehua ceramics prospered alongside booming overseas trade. Qingbai porcelain and white porcelain became the mainstream and were continuously exported abroad, becoming important goods along the Maritime Silk Road. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, in admiration of Dehua's white porcelain, the French gave it a special name: "Blanc de Chine". In 2006, Dehua porcelain firing technique was inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In 2015, Dehua was designated a "World Capital of Ceramics" by the World Crafts Council. In 2021, the Dehua kiln site was added to the World Heritage List.

"Blanc de Chine — Dehua White Porcelain Exhibition" in National Museum of China 

Photo by National Museum of China

"Blanc de Chine — Dehua White Porcelain Exhibition" in National Museum of China

Photo by National Museum of China

Recommended Places to Visit

Dehua Ceramics Museum

A comprehensive ceramics museum within Fujian Province that systematically presents the history and achievements of Dehua ceramics.

Yueji Kiln

Yueji Kiln has a history of more than 400 years. As early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was one of the most prominent kilns of its time, producing porcelain that was widely sold both domestically and abroad.

Xinxiu Garden

A hub gathering young artists, serving as an integrated base for ceramic creation, exhibition, hands-on experience, and cultural study.

Recommended Routes

One-Day World Heritage Sites Tour: Dehua Ceramics Museum → Qudougong Ancient Kiln Site → Song-Yuan Dehua Kiln Exhibition Hall → Yueji Kiln

One-Day Masterworks Tour: Chinese White Museum → Xinxiu Garden → Longpeng Art Museum → Zhenfeng Ceramic Cultural and Creative Park

Sources: WeChat account "Fujian Release", official WeChat account of Quanzhou City Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism