In order to protect and explore ancient pottery-making craftsmanship, Tibetan Highland Mother Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. at Doilungdeqen County of Lhasa invited professionals to spend several years in visiting pottery-making villages in Tibet Autonomous Region, Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces for field investigation.

Meanwhile, they communicated with and learnt from local old artisans and experts so as to continuously explore and enrich pottery-making methods and skills.

After constant experiments, they finally grasped traditional Tibetan pottery-making craftsmanship – red pottery firing craftsmanship and successfully applied for the intangible cultural heritage of Tibet Autonomous Region, making red pottery firing craftsmanship which has been inherited for thousands of years shine again.

In the pottery-making room, there are many potteries in different shapes. Craftsmen were absorbed in kneading pug, making adobe and carving patterns on pottery.

At one corner of the room and near the wheel disc for pottery-making, there is an old man named Rigzin Sonam. He is over sixty, but still engaged in his favorite pottery-making. In addition, he has handed down his skillful craftsmanship to many young people.

Rigzin Sonam said, he was born in Chanang County, Shannan Prefecture. When he was 25 years old, he began to learn pottery making from the older generation of craftsmen. Over the past 40 years, he has devoted himself in pottery-making craftsmanship and enjoyed it. During several-decade practice, his craftsmanship has been constantly improved. Now, he is a skillful expert of pottery-making.

“Through earth, I can freely express what I would like to express in my heart. I have a deep affection to earth. Every day, I would like to create with earth, otherwise I feel uncomfortable”, Rigzin Sonam said.

Rigzin Sonam indicated, pottery making is complicated. From initial earth collection and mud mixing to adobe making, pattern carving, polishing, drying, encastage and firing, every link has strict requirements on craftsmanship. It is said that earth used to make pottery is from various regions of Tibet and most earth is red. After earth is collected, the next step is to mix mud which consists of several kinds of red earth and powder of stone, with strong viscosity.

At mud mixing, mud is malaxated with both hands and impurities should be removed. Earth becomes soft and tough after constant malaxation, so made-up greenware is smooth and fine.

After mud mixing, greenware can be made. As we can see, Rigzin Sonam takes out a ball of earth from the bag near him and pats it ceaselessly with a brick so as to remove gaps in earth and make earth integrated. After earth ball is pat into a pie, it is placed on the wheel disc to make its shape. After that, internal and external surfaces are flatted by hand or tool. Sometimes, Rigzin Sonam rotates pottery and sometimes pats the body with mallet.

“It takes a lot of time, patience and carefulness to make greenware.” Rigzin Sonam said, further refinement and processing are required after adobe making, so as to let shape of pottery more improved. After that, polishing is conducted and patterns are carved on the pottery. After a piece of pottery is made, it should be dried for 1-2 days in the sun and then fired.

“During firing, the temperature must be exactly controlled in a constant manner. In addition, a person must be designated to supervise and observe firing at any time, so as to keep constant fire.” Ngawang Rigzin said, it takes one week to finish the whole process from firing to cooling. After the kiln is completely cooled, pottery can be taken out.

When the mouth of pottery made is clicked, it sounds clear, so it is a superior product.