Zhen Shisheng is a man with hearing loss and speech difficulties. his physical difficulties, Zhen has lived a meaningful life, thanks to his interest and talent in and enthusiasm for the traditional Shanxi art of fahua ware.
Fahua ware, which is mostly made in the south and east of Shanxi, is the porcelain version of cloisonne(景泰蓝), the design elements are separated by copper wires. Porcelain featuring these techniques (fire) at lower temperatures with the different colored glazes and enamels applied to individual areas created by the slip lines.
When (recall) his experience to learn the techniques to make this Shanxi handicraft with a history of hundreds of years, he said, "When you lose some abilities, you would cherish all the others (leave) to you," Zhen said in sign language. "Only when you apply all your senses and abilities to your subject of work can you (possible) succeed. "
Zhen learned the craft from his father, who is master fahua ware craftsman in a porcelain factory. Zhen's creativity and innovation are demonstrated in the (free)of using lines and glaze colors, as well as the selection of patterns and images for decoration.
The hardest part of learning to make fahua ware is that the fahua techniques (lose) for about 300 years, and today's revival of the art has been made through artists' painstaking research into ancient documents and (exist) museum exhibits, as well as their own imagination. And he believes this cultural heritage can be passed down to future generations.
