Jingdezhen (景德镇)

1. Introduction

Jingdezhen, historically known as Changnan, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China, located in the northeastern part of Jiangxi. The city borders Shangrao to the east, south, and west, Chizhou of Anhui Province to the northwest, and Huangshan of Anhui Province to the northeast. Situated in the transitional zone between the low mountainous and hilly region of northeastern Jiangxi and the Poyang Lake Plain, the terrain is higher in the northeast and lower in the southwest. The Chang River flows from north to south through the city, exiting at the western border, while the Le'an River traverses the southern part from east to west. Jingdezhen is a nationally renowned historical and cultural city, famous for its Jingdezhen ceramics, a well-known local product both domestically and internationally. It is often referred to as the "Porcelain Capital" and was one of the four famous towns during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The municipal government is located at No. 666, Cidu Avenue.

Jingdezhen is an important industrial city in Jiangxi Province and a significant aircraft production base in China, specializing in helicopters, particularly the "Z-8" series helicopters. The city has been awarded numerous honorary titles such as "Civilized and Hygienic City," "Excellent Tourist City," and "National Garden City." It has also been recognized by the media as one of "The 50 Most Worthwhile Places for Foreigners to Visit in China."

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2. History

During the Spring and Autumn period, the area of Jingdezhen belonged to the eastern part of the State of Chu. In the Qin and Han dynasties, it was under the jurisdiction of Fan County in Jiujiang Commandery and Poyang County in Yuzhang Commandery. The first recorded name of Jingdezhen dates back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty, when it was called Xinping Town. During the Tang Dynasty, its name changed several times: in 621 AD, Xinping County was established; in 716 AD, Xinchang County was set up, also known as Changnan Town; and in 742 AD, Xinchang was renamed Fuliang. Since then, Jingdezhen has been under the administration of Fuliang County. According to folklore, during the Northern Song Dynasty, Changnan porcelain, renowned for its superior quality, was requisitioned by Emperor Zhenzong for imperial use—all porcelain products were exclusively for the court. In 1004 AD, the emperor renamed Changnan Town "Jingdezhen" after his reign title "Jingde."

In 1278, the Yuan Dynasty established the Fuliang Porcelain Bureau in Jingdezhen. In 1369, the Ming Dynasty set up the Jingdezhen Pottery Factory, and during the Xuande period, the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Factory (Imperial Ware Factory) was established. By the 19th century (late Qing Dynasty), Jingdezhen was officially designated as a town, and in 1910, the Jiangxi Porcelain Industry Company was founded. In 1934, the Communist Party of China established a Soviet government in Jingdezhen. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Jingdezhen was separated from Fuliang County on April 29, 1949. In 1953, it became a provincial-level city under Jiangxi Province, and Fuliang County was later incorporated into its jurisdiction. Initially, the city was conventionally named "Jingde City," but due to its famous porcelain-making history, the original generic name "Jingdezhen" was fully incorporated into the city's proper name, resulting in "Jingdezhen City," which remains its name to this day. In 1983, Leping County from the Shangrao region was incorporated into Jingdezhen, and in 1988, Fuliang County was merged into the city.

2.1 Early Ancient Period

The history of pottery-making in the Jingdezhen region is very ancient. Pottery shards from the late Paleolithic period unearthed in Leping push China's pottery-making history back to 20,000 years ago. Some literature suggests that Jingdezhen's porcelain industry can be traced back to the Warring States period, when primitive celadon was already being produced. However, other records indicate that ceramic production in Jingdezhen began during the Han Dynasty. The local Jiangxi historical text Jiangxi Tongzhi asserts that Jingdezhen's porcelain industry gained fame during the Chen Dynasty of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The earliest recorded figure in Jingdezhen's porcelain-making is the Eastern Jin official Zhao Kai, who was later revered by Jingdezhen potters as the ancestor of the ceramic industry. The more mature period of Jingdezhen ceramic production began in the Tang Dynasty, when porcelain products were already exquisitely crafted and praised as "imitation jade ware." However, currently, only Tang Dynasty kiln remains of relatively low-quality products have been found in Leping, which was incorporated from Shangrao. The porcelain-making sites discovered in traditional Jingdezhen (including present-day Zhushan District, Changjiang District, and Fuliang County) are no earlier than the Five Dynasties period, so figures like Zhao Kai and Huo Zhongchu are considered part of folklore.

2.2 Song Dynasty

Starting from the Song Dynasty, Jingdezhen became a relatively important porcelain production base. However, the practice of marking porcelain with reign titles in China did not begin earlier than the early Ming Dynasty, so the legend of Emperor Zhenzong's "Jingde" reign title being used on porcelain is just folklore. The Song Dynasty was a glorious period for Jingdezhen's ceramic production. The celadon and white porcelain produced during this time held high artistic and historical value, marking the historical starting point of Jingdezhen as a significant and renowned porcelain production center in China. Additionally, Yingqing porcelain, an innovative variety based on the techniques of Qingbai (bluish-white) porcelain, was the highlight of Song Dynasty ceramics. It was successfully fired in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty and produced on a large scale during the Southern Song Dynasty, exerting a profound influence on later generations. The Qingbai porcelain artifacts from the Song Dynasty excavated at the Hutian Kiln site in the southern suburbs of Jingdezhen (now the Jingdezhen Hutian Ancient Kiln Site Museum) demonstrate that Jingdezhen's porcelain-making technology had reached a considerable level of maturity during the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty in China was a prosperous era for the ceramic industry, with vigorous porcelain production nationwide. Jingdezhen's porcelain industry flourished no less than other production centers. In 2007, the Song Dynasty merchant ship "Nanhai No. 1," salvaged from the waters off Guangdong Province, China, was found to be carrying Jingdezhen's Qingbai porcelain, indicating that Jingdezhen's porcelain was already being exported overseas via maritime trade during the Song Dynasty.

2.3 Yuan Dynasty

During the Yuan Dynasty, Jingdezhen's porcelain-making technology advanced unprecedentedly compared to the Song Dynasty, becoming the kiln site with the highest porcelain-making skills in the country at the time. The "Fuliang Porcelain Bureau" was established to oversee the town's ceramic production. The Yuan Dynasty had the most extensive territory in Chinese history, which greatly expanded the sales range of Jingdezhen porcelain and significantly increased its sales volume compared to the previous Song Dynasty. The main decorative styles of Jingdezhen porcelain in the Yuan Dynasty were blue-and-white and underglaze red, with "Yuan Blue-and-White" (a term used in the cultural relics and antique collection circles for blue-and-white porcelain produced in the Yuan Dynasty) being the most famous. Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain primarily featured large vessels, including large plates, large jars, large double-gourd vases, large meiping vases, and stem bowls. These blue-and-white ceramic objects had a tremendous impact on later generations. Existing or unearthed Yuan blue-and-white porcelain is extremely precious, with some varieties almost described as "priceless." According to media reports: on July 12, 2005, a Yuan blue-and-white porcelain jar-shaped vessel from Jingdezhen, titled "The Ghost Valley Descending the Mountain," was auctioned in London, UK, fetching a record-breaking price of 230 million RMB, setting the highest historical auction record for ceramic products worldwide. Experts believe that Yuan blue-and-white porcelain holds an unshakable dominant position in the history of Chinese ceramics, representing the peak of the development stage of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain.

2.4 Ming and Qing Dynasties

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Jingdezhen's ceramic production became more refined, serving as an important production base for imperial court porcelain. The Ming Dynasty marked the beginning of a flourishing period in Jingdezhen's porcelain production history. Porcelain-making techniques and varieties became more advanced and diverse than in previous dynasties. The Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Factory, specifically established to produce porcelain for the court, was set up during the Ming Dynasty. Ming Dynasty porcelain masterpieces include the Yongle and Xuande blue-and-white porcelain, Chenghua doucai porcelain, and Jiajing and Wanli wucai porcelain. The Ming eunuch Zheng He exported large quantities of Jingdezhen porcelain overseas, which had a significant impact on Jingdezhen porcelain at the time and thereafter. Jingdezhen porcelain during the Qing Dynasty can be considered the pinnacle of ancient Chinese ceramic development.

The Qing court appointed special Superintendents of Porcelain (Dutao Guan) dedicated to overseeing porcelain production in Jingdezhen. The establishment of the superintendent system in Jingdezhen brought its porcelain-making to an almost unparalleled level. In Jingdezhen's ceramic circles at the time, besides the official kilns producing for the court, the number of private kilns also reached an unprecedented scale. Early Qing blue-and-white porcelain is considered top-quality in contemporary collections, while Qing familie rose porcelain is a rare treasure in the ceramic collection world, its preciousness even rivaling that of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain. Cloisonné, which combined Chinese and Western techniques, also gained great fame. According to the Qing Dynasty Jingdezhen Taolu from the Jiaqing period: "The vessels are beautifully complete, the craftsmanship is excellent and skillful, the colors are exquisite and perfect, imitating ancient methods and preceding styles, with patterns and designs changing monthly and yearly. The supervision of the imperial kilns particularly surpassed ancient times," sufficiently illustrating the extremely high achievements of Jingdezhen porcelain production at that time.

2.5 Republic of China Era

During the Republic of China era, due to prolonged warfare and social instability, Jingdezhen's ceramic production was severely hindered, but ceramic techniques and production management still advanced with difficulty. In 1929, the Jiangxi Provincial Government of the Republic of China established the Jingdezhen Ceramic Affairs Bureau. In 1930, its functions were taken over by the Jiangxi Industrial Testing Institute. In 1932, the Jingdezhen Ceramic Experiment Institute was established, and in 1935, the Jingdezhen Ceramic Affairs Management Bureau was set up.

During the Republican period, Du Zhongyuan had a profound influence on Jingdezhen's ceramic industry. He advocated for reforms in porcelain production, such as trialing mechanization, producing decal porcelain, and switching from traditional wood-fired kilns to coal. These measures greatly promoted ceramic production in Jingdezhen at the time. Although society was unstable during the Republic of China, some outstanding ceramic talents still emerged in the ceramic field, such as the famous "Eight Friends of Zhushan" in Jingdezhen. The most renowned Jingdezhen porcelain from the Republican period was familie rose porcelain, which elevated the previous familie rose techniques of Jingdezhen to a new height. In summary, although Jingdezhen's ceramic industry advanced technically during the Republican period, the entire ceramic industry ultimately suffered and declined due to the factors of warfare.

2.6 People's Republic of China

In April 1949, the Communist Party of China took over Jingdezhen. In 1950, the state-owned Jingdezhen Jianguo Porcelain Industry Company was established and began porcelain production. Existing ceramic enterprises underwent socialist transformation, achieving cooperation and public-private partnerships. From 1953 to 1957, Jingdezhen's ceramic output value reached 59.38 million RMB, exceeding the highest historical level. In 1958, a Ceramic Institute dedicated to training ceramic talents was established in Jingdezhen. In 1965, the trial production of the "tunnel kiln," aimed at increasing ceramic production output and quality, was successful, marking a historic breakthrough in Jingdezhen's porcelain firing technology. In 1994, Jingdezhen's daily-use porcelain output was 401 million pieces. During the planned economy period, Jingdezhen's ceramic industry experienced periodic prosperity. Porcelain products from the ten major state-owned porcelain factories frequently won awards domestically and internationally, such as the blue-and-white "Wutong" medium tableware from the People's Porcelain Factory, the blue-and-white "Linglong" tableware from the Guangming Porcelain Factory, and the glaze-color porcelain from the Jianguo Porcelain Factory. During the Cultural Revolution, Jingdezhen also produced large quantities of Mao Zedong badges, seated statues, and porcelain plaques with strong political themes.

During the 2020 southern China floods, on June 2, heavy to torrential rain fell widely in Jingdezhen, with local 24-hour rainfall exceeding 200 mm. Water levels in the Changjiang and Le'an River basins rose rapidly. At 20:00, the city initiated a Level IV flood control emergency response. From 8:00 on July 7 to 8:00 on July 8, the average rainfall in Jingdezhen city was 105.5 mm. There were 24 monitoring stations with cumulative precipitation exceeding 100 mm and 6 stations exceeding 150 mm. Large areas of urban roads were flooded, and some roads and areas were inundated.

3. Geography

3.1 Location

Jingdezhen City borders Dongzhi County of Anhui Province to the northwest, Qimen County and Xiuning County to the northeast, Wannian County and Yiyang County of Shangrao City in Jiangxi Province to the south, Poyang County to the west, and is adjacent to Wuyuan County and Dexing City to the east and southeast.

3.2 Topography

Jingdezhen's terrain belongs to the third step of China's topography: the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain, characterized within the Chinese geographical concept as the Jiangnan Hilly Region. The overall terrain is higher in the northeast and lower in the southwest. Most of Leping City in southern Jingdezhen is part of the Poyang Lake Plain, featuring gentle terrain; Fuliang County to the north is essentially an extension of the mountainous terrain of southern Anhui into Jingdezhen, with distinct mountainous features; the urban area of Jingdezhen is largely situated within a basin, while to the southwest, following the flow of the Chang River, there is a large opening towards Poyang Lake. The central urban area is mostly below 100 meters in elevation. The mountainous area in the northeast of Fuliang County has relatively higher terrain. Near Wanghu Village in Yaoli Town, at the border with Anhui Province, lies Jingdezhen's highest peak, Wugu Jian, with an elevation exceeding 1,600 meters, where snow is common in winter.

3.3 Hydrology

Jingdezhen lies within the Poyang Lake basin of Jiangxi Province and is also part of the Yangtze River basin. The Chang River is a major river in Jingdezhen and was an important transportation route for goods in ancient times. It originates in the mountainous area bordering Jiangxi and Anhui, flows roughly northeast-southwest through the Jingdezhen urban area for about 220 kilometers, and empties into Poyang Lake in Poyang County. Another river in the Jingdezhen region is the Le'an River, originating in the mountainous area where Anhui, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces meet. It flows south of the Leping urban area for about 280 kilometers, converges with the Chang River in Poyang County, and then enters Poyang Lake.

Jingdezhen has no large lakes. The Communist Reservoir is the largest reservoir in the Jingdezhen region, located within Leping. Another reservoir is the Yutian Reservoir, originally named the Yuejin Reservoir, which is an important flood control and irrigation reservoir for Jingdezhen City, located in Xianghu Town, Fuliang County.

3.4 Climate

Jingdezhen has a subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are cool and comfortable. Winters are cold and overcast, relatively dry, and temperatures below -5°C are not uncommon during strong cold waves. Summers are very hot and humid, with maximum temperatures sometimes exceeding 40°C for several consecutive days. Annual precipitation is abundant, with the period from April to June receiving the most rainfall, accounting for over 46% of the annual total. The coldest month (January) has an average temperature of 5.3°C, with an extreme minimum of -10.9°C (January 13, 1963). The hottest month (July) has an average temperature of 28.7°C, with an extreme maximum of 41.8°C (August 29, 1967). The annual average temperature is 17.4°C, with annual precipitation around 1,777 mm. During summer and autumn, Jingdezhen is sometimes affected by the remnants of coastal typhoons, leading to severe weather. Due to intense precipitation during the flood season, Jingdezhen may experience flooding between May and June. During the 1998 Yangtze River floods, most of the urban area was inundated by floods from the Chang and Nan Rivers, resulting in very severe economic losses.

Meteorological Data for Jingdezhen City (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | Record high (°C / °F) | 26.7 (80.1) | 28.8 (83.8) | 33.5 (92.3) | 35.0 (95.0) | 36.0 (96.8) | 37.9 (100.2) | 40.4 (104.7) | 41.8 (107.2) | 39.7 (103.5) | 38.2 (100.8) | 31.6 (88.9) | 26.3 (79.3) | 41.8 (107.2) | | Average high (°C / °F) | 10.2 (50.4) | 12.6 (54.7) | 16.5 (61.7) | 22.8 (73.0) | 27.6 (81.7) | 30.1 (86.2) | 33.8 (92.8) | 33.7 (92.7) | 30.2 (86.4) | 25.2 (77.4) | 19.0 (66.2) | 13.2 (55.8) | 22.9 (73.3) | | Daily mean (°C / °F) | 5.6 (42.1) | 7.9 (46.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 17.5 (63.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 25.7 (78.3) | 29.1 (84.4) | 28.6 (83.5) | 24.9 (76.8) | 19.5 (67.1) | 13.3 (55.9) | 7.6 (45.7) | 17.8 (64.1) | | Average low (°C / °F) | 2.5 (36.5) | 4.7 (40.5) | 8.1 (46.6) | 13.6 (56.5) | 18.4 (65.1) | 22.2 (72.0) | 25.2 (77.4) | 24.8 (76.6) | 21.1 (70.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 9.3 (48.7) | 3.7 (38.7) | 14.1 (57.4) | | Record low (°C / °F) | -10.9 (12.4) | -9.2 (15.4) | -4.5 (23.9) | 0.2 (32.4) | 6.2 (43.2) | 13.8 (56.8) | 18.4 (65.1) | 16.8 (62.2) | 8.9 (48.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | -7.2 (19.0) | -9.6 (14.7) | -10.9 (12.4) | | Average precipitation (mm / inches) | 87.6 (3.45) | 117.6 (4.63) | 191.9 (7.56) | 228.8 (9.01) | 235.2 (9.26) | 310.3 (12.22) | 230.1 (9.06) | 135.0 (5.31) | 75.6 (2.98) | 71.1 (2.80) | 74.5 (2.93) | 47.3 (1.86) | 1,805 (71.07) | | Average precipitation days (≥0.1 mm) | 13.0 | 14.0 | 18.1 | 16.7 | 16.4 | 15.9 | 12.1 | 11.3 | 9.2 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 150.9 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 77 | 77 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 80 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 73 | 75 | 74 | 76 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 100.0 | 90.2 | 91.3 | 117.1 | 149.5 | 151.0 | 226.7 | 227.6 | 180.7 | 169.9 | 148.2 | 145.3 | 1,797.5 | | Percent possible sunshine (%) | 31 | 29 | 25 | 31 | 36 | 36 | 53 | 56 | 49 | 48 | 46 | 46 | 41 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Throughout previous dynasties and up to the Republic of China, Jingdezhen was primarily under the jurisdiction of Fuliang County. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, Jingdezhen became independent from Fuliang County and was established as Jingdezhen City. Subsequently, Fuliang County was placed under the administration of Jingdezhen City, becoming its suburban townships. Its name changed several times, including Jiucheng Commune, Jiucheng Township, Jiucheng Town, and Xinping Town. Before 1983, Jingdezhen was only a prefecture-level city with districts, governing four districts: Zhushan, Changjiang, Jiaotan, and Ehu. The municipal government was located on Zhushan Middle Road in Zhushan District. In July 1983, Leping County (changed to a county-level city in 1992) from the former Shangrao Prefecture of Jiangxi Province was placed under the jurisdiction of Jingdezhen City. In 1988, Fuliang County was re-established as a county under Jingdezhen City, governing parts of the former directly-administered areas of Jingdezhen City, including Jiaotan, Ehu, and a portion of Changjiang District.

Jingdezhen City currently administers 2 municipal districts, 1 county, and manages 1 county-level city on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Changjiang District, Zhushan District
• County-level City: Leping City
• County: Fuliang County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (sq km) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|------------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 360200 | Jingdezhen City | Jǐngdézhèn Shì | 5,262.20 | 1,618,979 | Changjiang District | 333000 | 13 | 28 | 11 | | 360202 | Changjiang District | Chāngjiāng Qū | 314.53 | 201,363 | Xijiao Subdistrict | 333000 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | 360203 | Zhushan District | Zhūshān Qū | 111.14 | 383,453 | Shishibu Subdistrict| 333000 | 9 | 1 | | | 360222 | Fuliang County | Fúliáng Xiàn | 2,851.40 | 280,376 | Fuliang Town | 333400 | | 10 | 8 | | 360281 | Leping City | Lèpíng Shì | 1,985.12 | 753,787 | Jiyang Subdistrict | 333300 | 2 | 15 | 1 |

5. Economy

Jingdezhen is an important city within the Poyang Lake Economic Circle (referring to Nanchang-Jiujiang-Jingdezhen) in Jiangxi Province, and a significant industrial base and commercial grain production base in northeastern Jiangxi. According to official data, in 2008, the absolute value of Jingdezhen's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 32.2 billion RMB, and the absolute value of local fiscal revenue was 1.85 billion RMB, both ranking 10th among the 11 administrative divisions (referring to Nanchang, Jingdezhen, Pingxiang, Jiujiang, Xinyu, Yingtan, Ganzhou, Ji'an, Yichun, Fuzhou, Shangrao) (only higher than Yingtan). However, its GDP per capita ranked 5th. The per capita disposable income of urban residents was 13,583 RMB, ranking 4th in Jiangxi Province (roughly on par with Pingxiang City, which ranked 3rd). The per capita net income of farmers was 5,253 RMB, also ranking 4th in the province. While the absolute values of Jingdezhen's total GDP and local fiscal revenue are relatively low within Jiangxi Province, their growth rates are very rapid. Per capita data places Jingdezhen in a slightly above-average position within the province.

5.1 Agriculture

Agriculture in Jingdezhen primarily focuses on rice cultivation. It is an important part of the Poyang Lake rice cultivation area in Jiangxi Province, classified as one of the national commercial grain bases. It is also a national base for breeding high-quality pigs, a key cotton-producing area in Jiangxi, and a tea production and processing base. The rice in the region is double-cropped, with spring-sown early rice and summer-sown late rice. Leping City in the south is an important vegetable production base for northeastern Jiangxi. Its vegetable production and sales hold a very significant position in Jiangxi's agricultural economy. In 2007, the vegetable cultivation area was 17,000 hectares, with a total output of 620,000 tons. Leping was designated a "Pollution-Free" Vegetable Production Demonstration City by the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China and is one of China's agricultural product collection centers, earning the nickname "Vegetable Country of Jiangnan." Among cash crops, tea production in Fuliang County constitutes a large proportion of Jingdezhen's agricultural output value and has a long-standing reputation. It was mentioned as early as in the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi's line, "Last month I went to Fuliang to buy tea." Later, at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, "Fuliang Red" tea from Fuliang County won a gold medal alongside Guizhou Moutai liquor. In 1997, Fuliang County was named "Home of Chinese Black Tea" by China's Ministry of Agriculture. In 2003, "Fuyao Xianzhi" tea won a gold medal at the China Premium Tea Expo in Shanghai.

5.2 Industry

Jingdezhen is an industrial powerhouse in northeastern Jiangxi. Historically renowned for its porcelain industry, the proportion of the porcelain industry's output value to the city's total economy has significantly declined compared to the pre-planned economy era. Although known as the "Millennium Porcelain Capital," the ceramic industry is no longer the main source of fiscal revenue for Jingdezhen. Instead, other industrial sectors dominate Jingdezhen's industry, including machinery, electronics, household appliance manufacturing, aircraft, automobiles, energy, food processing, tea processing, and pharmaceuticals.

Jingdezhen is also the sole helicopter production base in the People's Republic of China. The supporting research and development institution is the 602nd Research Institute, affiliated with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), located adjacent to Changhe Company. Jiangxi Changhe Aircraft Industry (Group) Corporation Ltd. (CHAI) is the largest state-owned enterprise in the Jingdezhen area, with total assets of 4.3 billion RMB. Its helicopter manufacturing holds a very important position in China, with the "Z-8" helicopter being highly recognized. Changhe also produces aircraft components for the Boeing 767-300BCF (passenger-to-freighter conversion) program.

Jingdezhen's Huayi Compressor Co., Ltd. is a well-known enterprise in China's refrigeration industry, holding a 20% market share for its fluorine-free compressors. In 2007, Sichuan Changhong (Shanghai Stock Exchange: 600839) became the largest shareholder of Huayi. Jingdezhen Ceramic Co., Ltd. is a representative enterprise of Jingdezhen's contemporary ceramic industry. Its Chinese-style tableware is often used as state gifts by Chinese political leaders during visits to foreign heads of state.

Regarding industrial brands, besides the "Z-8" helicopter, several Jingdezhen industrial brands and their products have a certain market recognition, such as: Changhe Automobile (Shanghai Stock Exchange: 600372, now part of BAIC Group), "Hongye" brand tableware, "An" brand peach shortbread, "Jingde" brand printing machines, and "Huayi" brand refrigeration compressors. Among these, Changhe minivans were once a mainstream model for Beijing taxis, commonly known as "Mian Di." The most well-known enterprises in Jingdezhen include: Jiangxi Changhe Aircraft Industry (Group) Corporation Ltd., Jiangxi Changhe Automobile Co., Ltd., Huayi Electric Appliance Group Corporation, Huayi Compressor Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Stock Exchange: 000404), Jingdezhen Ceramic Co., Ltd., Leping Food Factory, Zhongjing Group, Coking Gas Plant, Deyu Group, Leping Mining Bureau, etc.

5.3 Tertiary Industry

Commercial activities in Jingdezhen's urban area are mainly concentrated in the following zones: ① Square Commercial Circle: Encompassing North Square Road, South Square Road, Xincun West Road, and the area around People's Square. This is the most concentrated and bustling commercial area in Jingdezhen, featuring representative commercial enterprises like Jingkelong Supermarket. ② Xinchang Commercial Circle: Located in eastern Jingdezhen, including Xinchang Road and Taoyang Road. The intersection of Taoyang Road and Xinchang Road is the most bustling spot. Important commercial enterprises include: Jingdezhen No. 2 Department Store, Huada Supermarket, Rixin Department Store, etc. ③ Zhushan Road Commercial Street: Covering Zhushan Road, Zhongshan Road Commercial Pedestrian Street, and Lianshe South Road Porcelain Street. Well-known commercial enterprises include: Jinchangli Porcelain Trade Building, Porcelain Street, Jingdezhen Porcelain Capital Department Store, Jingdezhen Department Store, Huada Supermarket (West River), etc. ④ Railway Station and Zhejiang Road Commercial Area. ⑤ Additionally, the Dingjiazhou Haode Trade Plaza in the southwest of the city is currently the main centralized sales area for building and decorative materials in Jingdezhen. There is also the China Ceramics City in the northwest, primarily selling Jingdezhen porcelain, though its reputation is less prominent than that of Porcelain Street, which also sells ceramics.

In 2007, the total revenue from tourism in Jingdezhen was 3.027 billion RMB, accounting for 11.2% of the GDP, showing substantial growth compared to 2006. Furthermore, the number of tourist hotels (guesthouses, hotels) in Jingdezhen is among the highest in Jiangxi Province. As of August 2009, there was one quasi-five-star hotel (Zijing Hotel), two officially rated four-star hotels (Kaimenzi and Jingdezhen Hotel), and dozens of three-star and other ordinary-grade hotels. With significant improvements in Jingdezhen's transportation infrastructure, the number of tourists has been increasing year by year.

6. Transportation

Before the development of modern transportation, Jingdezhen's primary external transportation relied on the water transport of the Chang River. The porcelain produced in Jingdezhen could travel down the Chang River into Poyang Lake, connect to the Yangtze River at Hukou, and then reach the sea, accessing markets worldwide. Today, the water transport role of the Chang River has been replaced by highly developed modern transportation. Currently, Jingdezhen is the most important transportation hub center in the northeastern region of Jiangxi Province, with a modern three-dimensional transportation network encompassing highways, railways, and aviation taking initial shape. Data shows that the total mileage of national, provincial, county, and township roads in Jingdezhen is 2,287 kilometers, with a road network density of 43.57 kilometers per hundred square kilometers, higher than the national and Jiangxi provincial averages. The total expressway mileage within the city is approximately 300 kilometers. Jingdezhen North Railway Station is an important station under the Nanchang Railway Bureau, with passenger trains directly reaching many major cities in East, South, and Southwest China. After the completion of the under-construction Nanchang-Jingdezhen-Huangshan high-speed railway, Jingdezhen's railway transportation will be further improved. Jingdezhen Airport can accommodate the takeoff and landing of large and medium-sized passenger aircraft such as the Boeing 737.

6.1 Highways

Expressways: The G35 Jiguang Expressway passes through Jingdezhen from north to south on the city's southwest side, heading north directly to Hefei and Nanjing, and south to Yingtan or, via the Dechang Expressway, to Nanchang. The G56 Hangrui Expressway, originally named the Jiujing Expressway, was the first expressway in Jingdezhen's history, opened to traffic in 2001. Today, the Jiujing Expressway is just a section of the G56 Hangrui Expressway within Jiangxi Province. Currently, from Jingdezhen urban area, traveling west via the G56 Hangrui Expressway through Jiujiang and across the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge connects to Hubei Province's expressway network, reaching Wuhan. Traveling east connects to Zhejiang Province's expressway network, reaching Hangzhou and Shanghai.

National Highway 206: Before the completion of the expressways, Jingdezhen had only two main highways: National Highway 206 and the Jingjiu-Jingwu Highway (National Highway 351). National Highway 206 was once the most important north-south transportation artery for Jingdezhen. It still plays a crucial role in north-south land transportation in the Jingdezhen region. The Jingjiu-Jingwu Highway (National Highway 351) was the main east-west transportation artery at the time. With the opening of the G56 Hangrui Expressway, its traffic volume has significantly decreased.

6.2 Railway

Anhui-Jiangxi Railway: The Anhui-Jiangxi Railway runs north-south. From Jingdezhen southward, it connects to the Shanghai-Kunming Railway in Guixi City, Jiangxi. Northward, it reaches Wuhu, connecting to the Hefei-Wuhu Railway, and links with the Beijing-Shanghai Railway in Nanjing.

Additionally, the Quzhou-Jiujiang Railway, opened on December 28, 2017, has Jingdezhen North Station in Jingdezhen. After its completion, Jingdezhen connects eastward to the Shanghai-Kunming Railway in Quzhou, Zhejiang, and westward connects to the Beijing-Kowloon Railway, Wuhan-Jiujiang Railway, and Nanchang-Jiujiang Intercity Railway in Jiujiang.

The Nanchang-Jingdezhen-Huangshan high-speed railway, connecting Nanchang to Huangshan, officially commenced construction on December 25, 2018. It intersects with the Quzhou-Jiujiang Railway at Jingdezhen North Station and is expected to be completed and opened by the end of 2023.

Jingdezhen also has a narrow-gauge railway, namely the Jingdezhen Local Railway. During the planned economy era, it was mainly used to transport coal from various mines of the Leping Mining Bureau to Jingdezhen for use as fuel in porcelain kilns and various industrial boilers. The line length is about 35 kilometers. Today, many tracks and coal unloading yards have been abandoned [44], but a dedicated coal transport line from Leping mines to the Jingdezhen Power Plant is still retained to deliver coal for thermal power generation.

6.3 Aviation

Jingdezhen Airport (commonly known as Luojiacun Airport) is the only civilian airport in Jingdezhen. It is located in Luojiacun, northwest of Jingdezhen urban area, about 8 kilometers from the city center, with a total runway length of 2,500 meters. In 2008, Jingdezhen Airport's annual passenger throughput was 189,256, ranking 81st nationally and second in Jiangxi Province after Nanchang Changbei International Airport. The annual cargo and mail throughput was 119.8 tons, ranking 111th nationally. The annual aircraft movements were 2,424, ranking 91st nationally. Currently, passenger flights from Jingdezhen Airport can directly reach Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xiamen.

6.4 Major Urban Roads

Most of Jingdezhen's major urban roads today have been renovated and widened after 2000. Before that, most streets, except for Zhushan Road, were in very poor condition. After 2000, Jingdezhen underwent large-scale urban construction, with significant efforts in building major urban roads. Along the straight line from Jingdezhen Railway Station to Yanhe South Road, old residential houses and factory buildings in the old city area were demolished to build today's commercially oriented Zhejiang Road, where the famous Jingdezhen Zhejiang Commercial City is located. Currently, the main thoroughfares running through Jingdezhen urban area are:

• East-West:
  1. Xinchang Road - Shuguang Road - Xinfeng Road, approximately 10 kilometers long.
  2. Chaoyang Road - Zhushan Road - Changnan Avenue, approximately 9 kilometers long.
  3. Changjiang Avenue - Yingbin Avenue, approximately 5 kilometers long.
• North-South:
  1. Cidu Avenue, approximately 8 kilometers long.
  2. Guangchang North Road - Guangchang South Road, approximately 3.5 kilometers long.
  3. Taoyang North Road - Taoyang Middle Road - Taoyang South Road, approximately 2 kilometers long.

6.5 Bridges

Before the construction of the Changjiang Bridge, Jingdezhen had no bridges in the modern sense. Transportation between the east and west banks of the city mainly relied on pontoon bridges and ferries. Once the Chang River flooded, making pontoon bridges impassable, crossing the river became very difficult. In 1959, the bridge spanning the Chang River was completed and opened to traffic. Subsequently, Zhushan Bridge and Cidu Bridge were also built and opened. The fourth bridge, Bailu Bridge, was officially opened to traffic on September 30, 2010.

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7. Population

As of the end of 2021, the permanent resident population of Jingdezhen City was 1,620,565, an increase of 1,377 people from the end of the previous year. Among them, the urban permanent resident population was 1,068,531, accounting for 65.94% of the total population (urbanization rate of permanent residents), an increase of 0.92 percentage points from the end of the previous year. The urbanization rate of the registered population was 49.4%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the end of the previous year. In 2021, the number of births in Jingdezhen City was 12,340, with a birth rate of 7.62‰; the number of deaths was 10,290, with a mortality rate of 6.35‰; and the natural growth rate was 1.27‰.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 1,618,979. Compared with the 1,587,477 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the population increased by 31,502 over the ten-year period, a growth of 1.98%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.2%. Among them, the male population was 838,933, accounting for 51.82% of the total population; the female population was 780,046, accounting for 48.18% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 107.55. The population aged 0–14 was 345,215, accounting for 21.32% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,004,544, accounting for 62.05% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 269,220, accounting for 16.63% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 184,043, accounting for 11.37% of the total population. The urban population was 1,052,588, accounting for 65.02% of the total population; the rural population was 566,391, accounting for 34.98% of the total population.

7.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 1,614,335, accounting for 99.71%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 4,644, accounting for 0.29%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population increased by 28,437, a growth of 1.79%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.19 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 3,065, a growth of 194.11%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.19 percentage points.

8. Religion

Jingdezhen is the hometown of the eminent Song Dynasty monk Master Foyin, who, along with Su Dongpo and Huang Tingjian, is celebrated as one of the "Three Sages" of the Song Dynasty. In 2003, Fuliang County restored and renovated the "Baoji Chan Temple," the site where Foyin preached Buddhist scriptures. Today, its Mahavira Hall is the largest of its kind among similar temples nationwide. In addition to Buddhism, Jingdezhen also has followers of Catholicism, Christianity, and Taoism. The city's jurisdiction is home to numerous temples and churches, including the Jingdezhen Catholic Church, Jingdezhen Christian Church, Leping Jesus Church, Jingdezhen Mosque, Fuliang County Baoji Chan Temple, and Gaoji Chanlin Temple.

9. Culture

9.1 Dialects

In the urban area of Jingdezhen, the commonly spoken language is Jingdezhen dialect, which belongs to the Ying-Yi subgroup of Gan Chinese. The formation of the local language in Jingdezhen is closely related to its porcelain production. Particularly from the Song Dynasty onward, the production and sales of porcelain in Jingdezhen experienced unprecedented prosperity compared to earlier periods. This led to a large influx of laborers from surrounding regions (such as Poyang, Duchang, Wuyuan, Leping, and Wannian in Jiangxi; Dongzhi, Qimen, and Xiuning in Anhui) into Jingdezhen. The various dialects they brought converged and blended in this porcelain-making center, gradually forming a "Jingdezhen dialect" that could be understood by potters from different regions in daily communication. The "Jingdezhen dialect" spoken by locals today had already taken shape by the Ming Dynasty, predominantly featuring accents from Poyang, Duchang, and Leping.

In the suburban areas of Jingdezhen and Fuliang County, the commonly spoken language is Fuliang dialect, which belongs to the Qi-Wu subgroup of Hui Chinese.

In Leping City, the commonly spoken language is Leping dialect, which belongs to the Ying-Yi subgroup of Gan Chinese.

9.2 Folk Customs

In the rural areas of Jingdezhen, the Spring Festival customs are distinctive. Regardless of the specific township or village, it is universal to make New Year cakes and alkaline water rice cakes during the Spring Festival. Some villages also have the custom of making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and a few villages prepare glutinous rice cakes. In Yaoli Town, which is rich in Huizhou-style culture, performing dragon lantern dances has become an indispensable traditional custom during the Spring Festival. The dragon lantern procession visits almost every household, praying for happiness and well-being in the coming year. In the Jingdezhen region during the Qingming Festival, besides tomb sweeping, another important custom is making Qingming cakes, which are similar to dumplings. This involves preparing a dough mixed with mugwort juice to form wrappers resembling dumpling skins, then filling them with ingredients, primarily chives or preserved meat and dried tofu cubes.

10. Sister Cities

• Delft, Netherlands
• Arita Town, Japan
• Seto City, Japan
• Icheon City, South Korea
• Door County, USA
• Faenza, Italy
• Auburn, Australia
• Safi, Morocco

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Changjiang District

Leping City

The Han ethnic group accounts for 99.71% of the population; ethnic minorities account for 0.29%.

Camphor tree

Camellia