Jieshou painted pottery is among the most famous types of pottery ware in China. It has been a part of Chinese heritage for thousands of years and continues to develop in modern times.

The unique tri-coloured style of Jieshou painted pottery makes it distinctive from other schools of pottery. The colours reddish brown, beige and white form together to produce exquisite patterns and finely detailed images. Many themes are used to decorate the pottery including images from folk stories, theatrical tales, landscapes, fish and birds. Jieshou painted pottery has combined the skills of other ancient art forms such as paper cutting and New Year woodblock printing with its own unique style and essence.

The main procedures involved in creating Jieshou painted pottery are shaping, glazing and polishing. The pottery ware is glazed and then baked at high temperatures ranging up to 1000 degrees Celsius. It is left to bake for two days. The high temperatures turn the glaze into the tri-colour formation.

The origin of pottery can be traced back to the Neolithic Period (10000-2000 BC), however; Jieshou did not begin to produce pottery until the Sui Dynasty (581-618). During this time Jieshou pottery was known as native pottery and was a typical non-glazed style of ceramic. The villages would knead the clay to form a mould and fire it in a kiln on a low temperature with bavin and grass.

Over time, the non-glazed pottery became Jieshou tri-coloured flower-pottery. A potter’s wheel was used to create the mould. Mud was placed on the wheel which was operated steadily by their feet. White clay was then added to the mould and left to dry. Patterns were carved into the surface by an iron or bamboo stick and fired in a kiln. It was continuously fired at different temperatures for three or four days to achieve the unique tri-coloured effect. It was known as tri-coloured flower pottery because the neck and bottom of the pottery ware featured carved patterns of flowers.

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), modern tri-coloured pottery was first produced in Jieshou. The techniques for decoration of the pottery changed dramatically. The carving tools still used today to create the stunning patterns are either a knife or needle. Black, white and grey images were made by picking, carving and scratching. It has been influenced by many other traditional folk arts and crafts including paper cutting and New Year woodblock printing.

By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), over thirteen villages in Jieshou were considered the main production centres for tri-coloured pottery. These villages came to be known as the “thirteen kilns”. Jieshou pottery has been classed as one of China’s luxurious ceramic styles and was often given as tributes to the emperor and high nobles. It was distributed throughout China through the Grand Canal and was popularly exported throughout Southeast Asia.

Jieshou city of Anhui Province in well known for its ancient ceramic techniques and styles. It is classed as one of China’s leading folk arts and is recognized throughout the world as an amazing traditional craft.