Since the age of 13, Zhishi Pichu has been learning pottery from his father for 12 years. In his family, Zhishi Pichu does no farm work. He works on black potteries every day. For a long time, he has believed that the meaning of his work is only to make money. But father always says to him that he’s the third-generation inheritor of this family and he has responsibilities to make black potteries. Maybe father is right, Zhishi Pichu thinks.

Zhishi Pichu almost has never left this village. From morning to night, he is accompanied by clay and earth. In fact, he aspires to leave here for the outside world.

All villagers are collecting matsutake in the mountains, except Zhishi Pichu… and four seniors about 80 years old.

Three years ago, when Zhishi Pichu asked if he could go out to see the outside world, his father refused him before he finished his words.

This time, Zhishi Pichu is again planning to leave. He wants to find an opportunity to tell his father. In the past three years, his craftsmanship has progressed a lot. He can make any work by himself.

Since Zhishi Pichu has to stay here and make potteries, he wants to make something interesting.

Zhishi Pichu has made a deer toy. At this village, people only make necessities like brazier, teapot and vase. No one is interested in such toys, except him.

Zhishi Pichu is the first to make black pottery toys. For him, it’s the best pastime. But he’s not shown these toys to his father. He’s afraid that he might be scolded.

Zhishi Pichu has to hide these toys. My father has no ideas about them. He makes them in secret.

His father Gerong Nongbu always said, “Never be careless, always be serious. Whoever will use it, you are its maker forever. You should make the user feel satisfied with this work. Be attentive and earnest. You should make very user feel satisfied with your work. That’s a goal you should strive for.”

For Gerong Nongbu, potting is life and art. He hopes that his son can understand this.

Zhishi Pichu’s father shows him a tsampa pot made by his grandfather’s teacher Nongbu Enzhu. It’s very good. Look this mouth, it’s very delicate. This pot has been passed down for four generations.

Nongbu Enzhu passed down craftsmanship from generation to generation. Zhishi Pichu’s the third-generation inheritor of potting in their family.

Three years ago, when Zhishi Pichu proposed going out, Gerong Nongbu told the story of this pot. Today, aware of son’s agitation, Gerong Nongbu repeated this story to remind son of his responsibility to pass down the craftsmanship.

Archaeological discoveries reveal that the pottery-making tradition has existed at Nixi Township, Shangri-La, for about 3,000 years. At Tangdui Village where Zhishi Pichu is based, every villager can make potteries.

In recent years, as Shangri-La tourism is booming, Nixi black potteries have become bestselling on an unprecedented scale. In the eyes of Gerong Nongbu, today is the best time to make black potteries. He hopes that the son can concentrate on making potteries.

Local black clay is collected as raw materials for potting. A good potter must be good at collecting clay. Gerong Nongbu demonstrates in the front and Zhishi Pichu observes his father carefully. It’s not easy to locate and collect raw materials like red clay, white sandy soil and weathered limestone in the mountains.