Master of crafts: a leaf into porcelain ware, a traditional craft to revive

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Craftsman Wu Yingshan makes a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Haobo)

How to integrate a leaf into the porcelain ware? It sounds like magic for most people.But for Wu Yingshan, a craftsman in E China's Jiangxi, it is a traditional craft to be passed down and revived.

NANCHANG, June 16 (Xinhua) -- There are no two identical leaf cups, just as there are no two identical leaves in the world. The making of a leaf cup, a traditional craft endemic in today's Ji'an County, is special -- artisan has to integrate a leaf into the porcelain ware being worked on.

Craftsman Wu Yingshan picks mulberry leaves for leaf cup making near his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan prepares leaf cups before he arranges them into a kiln at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 9, 2020(Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan places mulberry leaves onto the cups before he arranges them into a kiln at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan puts leaves on cups before arrange them into a kiln at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

Wu Yingshan, an inheritor of the leaf cup making techniques, started to study on porcelain in 2003. With the development of bulk production, the traditional ways to make leaf cups are in gradual decline. Worrying about that decline, Wu decided to revive the craft.

Craftsman Wu Yingshan walks out of his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020.(Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan makes a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan makes a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan makes a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Haobo)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan glazes a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

Craftsman Wu Yingshan arranges raw leaf cups into a kiln at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

After spending several years checking data and visiting famous ancient kilns, Wu finally remade his own leaf cups in 2006, and succeeded in the traditional craft after eight years of trying.

Besides, Wu stresses the passing down of the craft. He sets up a porcelain studio named "Yingshantang" where he teaches skills to students who are interested in the art. For him, the traditional craft has to move forward with the time, and also should not be forgotten in the modern world.

Craftsman Wu Yingshan serves tea for a gueast with a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

Craftsman Wu Ying displays a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan)

Craftsman Wu Ying displays leaf cups at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Craftsman Wu Ying demonstrates with a leaf cup at his studio in Ji'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)