"Wood-fired pottery is caused by the melting of the surface of the utensils caused by the falling of wood ash during the firing process, and each piece is an 'unexpected surprise' of random changes in the kiln fire, which can be called unique." On June 14th, Cui Xuxiang, the intangible inheritor of the ancient firewood-fired pottery skills in Qihe County, Dezhou City, introduced the wood-fired pottery to the collectors who came to visit, and the simple and elegant atmosphere filled his personal studio, and the pottery teapots of different shapes and the teacups with warm glaze were neatly placed around the room.
Although 35-year-old Cui Xuxiang is young, he is also an "old man" of pottery. In 1989, Cui Xuxiang was born in a family of pottery, and under the influence of his father, he learned the art of pottery since he was a child. In 2013, after graduating from Shandong University of the Arts majoring in ceramics, he went to work in the northern ceramic production area of Boshan, Zibo under the introduction of his senior. It was also at this time that Cui Xuxiang came into contact with wood-fired pottery for the first time, and the colorful and warm glaze and natural and simple texture instantly aroused his interest.
"The ancient method of firewood pottery technology can be traced back to the primitive society Longshan culture 4,000 years ago, and until the Tang Dynasty, the firewood pottery technology has been passed down from generation to generation. Around the time of the Song Dynasty, the glossy and flawless ceramic ware was deeply loved by everyone, and the natural irregular wood-fired pottery faded out of people's field of vision, and the skills also appeared faulty. Cui Xuxiang introduced that in order to better understand and restore the ancient firewood pottery skills, he read a lot of information in his spare time, and at the same time contacted the inheritors of the existing firewood pottery skills to learn related skills. After more than a year of study, Cui Xuxiang decided to use the traditional firewood burning technique to fire his own pottery.
Good pottery is inseparable from a good kiln. In 2015, Cui Xuxiang resigned from his job and returned to his hometown to build a kiln. "At that time, there was still an abandoned kiln in my hometown, so in order to save costs, I decided to improve and rebuild on top of it." Cui Xuxiang introduced. In just a few months, in a small courtyard in Cuiqiao Village, Zhaoguan Town, a brand-new kiln rose from the ground.
As soon as the kiln was built, Cui Xuxiang couldn't wait to fire the pottery, but the reality gave him a painful blow. "The first time I built a kiln, the technology was not mature, the temperature in the furnace was not high enough, the ashes of the plants and trees could not be melted, and the glaze could not be hung." Cui Xuxiang recalled, "If it doesn't work once, try it again and continue to improve." Subsequently, he went to Quanzhou, Xiamen and other cities many times to visit and learn the kiln construction process, combined with the structure of the dragon kiln, improve his own kiln, maximize the use of heat, let the firewood fully burn, and increase the temperature in the kiln. It was not until 2017 that after three demolition and reconstruction, the glaze fired in the kiln had a sense of wavy flow.
"The secret of the success of firewood burning works lies in the relationship between soil, fire, firewood and kiln. Cui Xuxiang introduced, firewood pottery to enter the kiln firing for four days and four nights, the process needs to be uninterrupted firewood, when to heat up, when to keep warm, when to add firewood, to put the pile master inch, the furnace temperature reaches 1330 °C to 1350 °C when the kiln is closed, 7 to 10 days after the temperature drops below 200 °C can be opened.
A success did not make Cui Xuxiang "get carried away". Subsequently, he continued to refine the ancient method of firewood firing pottery technology, using the Yellow River cement and mineral mud refining and decaying clay as raw materials, and patting, kneading, printing, pasting, pinching and other ways to create, the firewood of the kiln was selected from high-quality pine fuel, and at the same time, the kiln was upgraded again, and the smokeless wood-fired kiln was innovated and transformed. Until today, from the clay to the seal carving, and then to the firing, each process Cui Xuxiang has worked hard, carved meticulously in every detail, and "refined" into pottery in bit by bit, and achieved a piece of exquisite wood-fired pottery.
"I am now mainly based on tea sets, and the next step is to integrate the local cultural elements of Qihe into the creative process to form ceramic cultural creations with unique local characteristics. At the same time, the online live broadcast was launched, hoping to continue and spread the ancient firewood firing pottery skills through the way that the public likes to see. Cui Xuxiang said.
Correspondent: Li Xiaonan