jeanne boden

eggshell porcelain

 

jingdezhen porcelain － 景德镇

  

jingdezhen porcelain － 景德镇

 

jingdezhen porcelain － 景德镇

Since ancient times Jingdezhen has been one of the biggest porcelain production places of China. During the Chinese empire special pieces were produced for the emperor. Today the art of porcelain production continues to create some fine objects. We call it 'art' now. In the old days in China however these objects were looked at as artisan artifacts. Only painting, calligraphy and poetry that was considered as real art. 

 

natural beauties - 自然堂

beijing

migrant workers constructing a new china

role models

Confucian dynamics are often thought responsible for the incredibly fast economic growth of the Asian Tigers and more recently of China. In the Confucian society there is always someone to be followed: the role model. Virtuous role models are an integral part of a good functioning Confucian society. In today's China ethical rules are implemented in society by way of slogan campaigns or by pictures of role models. This is nothing new. Since ancient times pictures were used to teach people how to conduct and how to be virtuous. 

work unit

When the Communists took over in 1949 China's society was reorganized into work units: walled complexes where people lived and worked. This system is often referred to as the iron rice bowl because everything one needed in life from the moment he was born until he died was provided for free by the state. There was no unemployment. Housing, education, health care were free. 

Everything changed after 1978 when the Reform was introduced, but even in today's China the work unit continuous to exists to a certain extent. Work units have gates and gate keepers to keep control over who is going in and out. Although the factories and organizations inside the infrastructure of the former work unit now have to take care of their own management, the gate keeper system is still used. 

su tong 苏童

A few days ago Su Tong won the biggest literary price in Asia, the Man Asian Literary Price with his latest novel 河岸 'river and shore'. I have been a fan of his work since the very beginning. This picture was taken during Su Tong's recent residency in Belgium.