People attend "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. A five-day event to showcase white porcelain produced in Dehua County in China's southeastern Fujian Province kicked off on Thursday in Midtown, New York City, with 105 masterpieces of Dehua porcelain exhibited. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

NEW YORK, March 15 (Xinhua) — A five-day event to showcase white porcelain produced in Dehua County in China's southeastern Fujian province kicked off on Thursday in Midtown, New York City, with 105 masterpieces of Dehua porcelain exhibited.

Dehua white porcelain, known for its creamy whiteness, subtle jade-like radiance, paper-thin delicacy, and clear, chime stone-like sound, was regarded as a prominent export product during the Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, Dehua white porcelain used to be dubbed "Blanc de Chine" by the French and gained worldwide fame.

The Dehua kiln sites have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, and Dehua porcelain firing techniques are among the first to be included in China's national list of intangible cultural heritage, said Fang Junqin, head of Dehua County.

New York is the first stop for this year's "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour following similar events in six other countries in 2023, Fang said.

It's hoped that the porcelain show would become a new bond that strengthens people-to-people friendship between the United States and China, said Huang Ping, the Chinese consul general in New York.

Porcelain represents Chinese history and culture and serves as an important window to understanding Chinese civilization, said Huang.

"This exhibition offers us a unique opportunity to experience the elegance and sophistication of Dehua white porcelain firsthand, bringing to life the shared history and friendship between our two great nations," said Li Suosheng, vice chair of China General Chamber of Commerce — USA and general manager of China Construction Bank New York Branch.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Li said the promotion of Dehua porcelain not only enriches the cultural landscape of the United States, but also serves as a bridge to fostering deeper connections and cooperation between Chinese and American enterprises.

Porcelain exports have amounted to 57.7 billion yuan (8 billion U.S. dollars) annually and it has been divided into specialized types such as traditional porcelain, porcelain for export, and porcelain for daily use, Fang said.

Statistics show that porcelain products from Dehua are shipped to over 190 countries and regions in the world with the United States taking a nearly 39 percent share of total export revenues in 2023.

Dehua's ceramic enterprises are adept at researching, designing, and manufacturing a wide array of ceramic products tailored to the diverse cultural needs of different countries, said Fang.

It's hoped that the show would demonstrate rich cultural heritage and exquisite craftsmanship and allow visitors to learn more about white porcelain, said Fang.

The exhibits attracted interest and admiration from visitors and some collectors seized this opportunity to enlarge their collections.

The simplicity, delicacy, transparency and attention to detail make the porcelain exhibits special, said Isabel Barnard Biderman, an art dealer.

"There are so many options taking place around the city... this is the best Asian art I've seen today," said Biderman.

"I feel very lucky to be able to see these beautiful art pieces myself, and I'm very much impressed and happy I was able to make it," said Daria Shevchenko, who has worked in the fashion industry in New York for a long time.

Shevchenko told Xinhua that she would share some important moments of the event on social media and would definitely encourage her followers to come and see the exhibition themselves. 

A Dehua porcelain artwork is presented at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

A Dehua porcelain tea set is presented at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

Dehua porcelain artworks are presented at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

People attend "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

Fang Junqin, head of Dehua County of China's Fujian Province, speaks at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

A Dehua porcelain artwork is presented at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

A Dehua porcelain artwork is presented at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

A Dehua porcelain artwork is presented at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

Huang Ping, the Chinese consul general in New York, speaks at "Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. [Xinhua/Li Rui]

(Source: Xinhua)