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ZIBO, June 4 (Xinhua) — Porcelain mending, an ancient Chinese traditional craft which uses special drills and nails to make patches on broken porcelain wares, gives a new life to the porcelain and allows it to be back into use.   

A mended porcelain ware is displayed at Yang Tao's studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Yang Tao, a fifth generation inheritor of Yang's porcelain mending skills in Zibo City of east China's Shandong Province, has been dedicated in the craft for over 30 years. "In ancient times, we mended the porcelain wares just for reusing it, but now the craft can recreate it to a piece of artwork," said Yang Tao.

Yang Tao shows mended porcelain wares at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Yang Tao shows a mended porcelain tea pot at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Ying]

Influenced by his father and grandfather, Yang has been interested in the craft since his childhood. The first toy he got was a load filled with various tools for porcelain mending. He became a professional porcelain mender when he was 25 years old and then started to visit masters in the art across the country. 

Yang Tao designs mending plans for a broken porcelain at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Through efforts of 30 plus years, he introduces new materials and techniques into the craft. He has created a tiny little nail with a diameter of just one millimeter, and concluded 72 ways of mending and 136 procedures in the work, while also restored many ancient skills.

Yang Tao shows a mended porcelain tea pot at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024.  [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Yang Tao shows tiny little nails he made for mending porcelains at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Ying]

In 2018, Yang was invited to mend a broken underglazed blue vat of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) at the Capital Museum of China. In November 2021, porcelain mending in Zibo was listed as one of the provincial-level intangible cultural heritages in Shandong Province.

Yang Tao mends a broken porcelain at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Ying]

A mended porcelain ware is displayed at Yang Tao's studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Nowadays, with the development of modern industry, few people would send their porcelain wares for mending, thus many porcelain menders has switched their jobs, leaving only the elders persisting in the craft. Yang deems that the craftwork is faced with lack of talents and is almost lost.

Yang Tao designs mending plans for a broken porcelain at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Ying]

A mended porcelain tea pot is displayed at Yang Tao's studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

To find the way out, he thinks that the added values of mended porcelains need to be improved. He is now in efforts of inventing new mending equipment and techniques, improving efficiency and making the craftwork affordable for common people.

A mended porcelain ware is displayed at Yang Tao's studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Yang Tao mends a broken porcelain at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Xu Suhui]

Yang Tao mends a porcelain ware at his studio in Zichuan District of Zibo City, east China's Shandong Province, May 8, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Ying]

Planners: Wang Jianhua, Yang Shouyong

Editors: Zhu Weixi, Wang Qingqin, Wang Haijing, Tian Weiwei, Zhang Xinjing, Hu Zhixuan

Journalists: Wang Ying, Xu Suhui, Zhu Xiaoguang

Correspondents: Niu Chenglong, Qu Lei

Video Editor: Tian Weiwei

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha