瓷器

Why this place

Porcelain was invented in China — fired at higher temperatures than any other ceramic, hard enough to ring like a bell — and Jingdezhen made it for the imperial court for a thousand years. Blue-and-white, celadon and famille rose all travelled the world from Chinese kilns, and the techniques can still be seen in working workshops.

What to see

• Jingdezhen's imperial kiln site, workshops and the Monday ceramics market at Fuliang
• The Longquan celadon kilns in Zhejiang, still producing the green glazes
• The Yaozhou and Ru kiln sites for the northern wares
• The Shanghai Museum and the Palace Museum's ceramic galleries, for the greatest collections
• Taoxichuan in Jingdezhen, where young ceramicists now work in converted factories

What to eat

• Jiangxi cooking in Jingdezhen — spicy, with river fish
• Ceramic-themed restaurants, which are a local fashion in Jingdezhen

How to plan

Jingdezhen deserves two days: the kiln sites, the workshops and the market.

Best time

April–May and October–November

Practical tips

• Shipping ceramics home is normal and cheap in Jingdezhen — ask the studio to pack and post rather than carrying it