Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Zha Fuyuan, 33, has a studio in Jingdezhen in China’s eastern Jiangxi province. An avid painting enthusiast, Zha moved to the city 10 years ago after graduating to chase his artistic dreams.
The city has over 2,000 years of ceramics-making history. It is often called China’s porcelain capital.
Earlier, it was challenging for Zha to make a living, but his designs have gained widespread popularity through live streaming platforms. He now earns over 400,000 yuan (about HK$437,555) a year.
If you are willing to work hard, Jingdezhen will not let you down, Zha said.
Zha is one of over 100,000 young people who are building their future in Jingdezhen. More than half of the new residents seeking opportunities in the city were born after 1990.
But why is Jingdezhen so popular with young creatives? In 2000, 10 major ceramic factories closed down. These factories used to produce nearly half of China’s household ceramics. About 100,000 ceramic workers stayed in the city, and the ceramic-making infrastructure was left intact. It became the perfect environment for newcomers to learn the craft.
