A scene from the Chinese play The Cizhou Kiln. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
On June 6 and 7, the premiere ofThe Cizhou Kiln, a stage drama produced by Hebei Performing Arts Group and presented by the Hebei Drama Theatre, was held in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province.
Supported by the China National Arts Fund, the play draws on over a millennium of Hebei's Cizhou kiln heritage and incorporates the regional opera style, Wu'anLaozi, a traditional folk opera form originating in Wu'an, Hebei province, to re-create the artistry and spirit of traditional craftsmanship.
Set in Cizhou's Guantai town during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), the story follows Li Yan, a painter's son who becomes stranded at a kiln site. With the help of Zhang Ji'er, the kiln master's daughter, Li finds work and love. Facing betrayal and hardship, the duo ultimately revives the kiln industry, integratingliterati paintingtechniques into ceramic folk art, illustrating Cizhou kiln's evolution and cultural significance.
A scene from the Chinese play The Cizhou Kiln. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The production employs a "play within a play" structure, blending Wu'an Laozi Opera into modern drama. As playwright Huang Weiruo explains, "Cizhou ceramics and Wu'an Laozi are Hebei's cultural treasures, both rich in folk vitality. Using Wu'an Laozi's songs and dances to express emotion is a way for drama to take a truly national path."
Visually, the stage mirrors the rustic elegance of Cizhou wares. Iconic kilns form the centerpiece, enhanced by rotating platforms and slanted staging, while traditional Cizhou color palettes — black on white, red and green — merge with local folk songs to re-create the atmosphere of ancient kiln towns.
A scene from the Chinese play The Cizhou Kiln. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Cizhou kilns became a leading northern kiln of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and remain a key symbol of Chinese ceramic innovation. The drama not only chronicles the kiln's technical and artistic development but also portrays the social dynamics between small-scale workshops and emerging large-scale production.
Directed by Liao Xianghong, vice-dean of the Central Academy of Drama, and written by playwright Huang, a professor of the academy, The Cizhou Kiln intertwines historical depth, local folklore and legendary romance.
A scene from the Chinese play The Cizhou Kiln. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
