Jingdezhen

The thousand-year porcelain capital, with the Taoxichuan night market, the Imperial Kiln site and hands-on pottery. A gathering place for young “Jingpiao” creatives and one of Xiaohongshu's hottest cities of the year.

Jingdezhen lies in northeastern Jiangxi, with the Chang River running through the city, Wuyuan to the east and Huangshan in Anhui to the north. Since it took its name from the Jingde era of Emperor Zhenzong of Song (1004), it has been the center of Chinese porcelain, and the Ming and Qing imperial kilns were located here, making “the thousand-year porcelain capital” a fitting title. The city is divided into Zhushan District (old town, the Imperial Kiln site, Taoxichuan) and Changjiang District. Sanbao Village and Xianghu in the suburbs, and Yaoli Ancient Town and the old county office in Fuliang County to the north, are common add-on destinations. In recent years it has broken out thanks to the “Jingpiao” (young potters who have drifted to the city), Taoxichuan's weekend markets and hands-on workshops, becoming one of Xiaohongshu's hottest small cities of the year. The climate is subtropical humid monsoon. April–May and September–November are comfortable and the best seasons; June–July is the plum-rain season, July–August is hot (often above 35°C), and winter is damp and cold, though indoor museums and studios are unaffected. Markets and events are concentrated on weekends, so try to include Friday to Sunday in your plans. Getting there: Jingdezhen North Station is on the Hefei–Fuzhou high-speed railway, about 4 hours from Shanghai, about 2.5 hours from Hangzhou, about 1.5 hours from Nanchang and about 30 minutes from Wuyuan and Huangshan North; Luojia Airport has few flights. Sights in the city are close together, with a 10–20-minute taxi ride between the Imperial Kiln, the old-town lanes and Taoxichuan. Sanbao Village is about 8 km from the city, and Yaoli is about 50 km away, requiring a self-drive or chartered car. We suggest 2–3 days: day 1, the Imperial Kiln site and Imperial Kiln Museum, the old-town lanes and the China Ceramics Museum (to see the “Speechless Bodhisattva”), then Taoxichuan in the evening; day 2, studios at Sanbao Village and a wheel-throwing class, then the Sculpture Porcelain Factory or the Taoxichuan market in the evening; day 3, the Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Museum Complex, or a day trip to Yaoli Ancient Town. Tips: most museums are closed on Mondays and require real-name reservations. Check official WeChat accounts for dates of Taoxichuan's Spring/Autumn Grand Fairs and the Letao Ceramics Fair. A wheel-throwing class generally costs CNY 100–200 per person, and finished pieces are mailed 1–3 weeks after firing. When buying porcelain, look for the maker's mark and artist's name; night-market stall prices are negotiable.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries