Kaolin-Yaoli Ancient Town and Scenic Area

( chinauniquetour.com )

Updated: 2011-09-20

This is a place you should not miss… you would never forget…and you may won’t to leave…

There is a beautiful place between blue hills and a green stream. Fish are flicking with water while people are traveling through picturesque vistas. This is Yaoli, a famed ancient town of porcelain and tea near Jingdezhen. The crystal-clear Yaohe River flows right through the town. Idyllic scenery can be seen everywhere.

Yaoli, an ancient town located in Jingdezhen city, Jiangxi province, is famous for its natural beauty and cultural heritages. Local villagers started to make porcelains in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It has developed its own unique culture for a thousand years. Tourists feel it is a real haven of peace and happiness when they stroll in the town.

Yaoli, anciently means Inside Kiln of Ceramic Making, is famous as the origin of Jingdezhen ceramics. It is one of Three Ancient Ceramic Kilns in China. As early as Tang Dynasty, the ceramic-making workshops appeared. Yaoli is located in the northeast side of Jingdezhen and surrounded by Huangshan Mountain, Lushan Mountain, Villages of Xidi and Hongcun. It is traditionally titled the origin of porcelain, village of tea and sea of forest. Yaoli scenic area is the national key destination of tourism as well as the national famous town for its culture and history. Besides, it is China AAAA Scenic Area, China Mine Park, National Forest Park, National Important Cultural Relics under National Protection as well as China Double Heritage Site of Nature and Culture.

A scene inside the Yaoli town (Photo from jxgdw.com)

Yaoli History and resource

Yaoli historically was the hometown of many famous people such as Wu Rui who was Changsha King of West-Han Dynasty and Li Chunnian famous as one founder of South Song Dynasty. Chen Yi who was one of famous generals in modern China once stayed and lived here, also he engaged in the re-composition of Xinsijun, or The Fourth New Troop. This is an old and mysterious area with deep collection of culture and well preservation of natural environment, and surely it is the best destination for travel, leisure, learning and study.

Yaoli abounds in kaoline, a special kind of soil for making ceramics. After hundreds of years of exploitation, it is still teemed. Gaoling Village in its area is the production area of raw materials for making porcelain. As early as 19th century, this village was famous abroad, and the name of this village became the common technical term of international clay mineralogy to call Kaoline.

Kaoline Mine Relic Park in Yaoli is not only the place for material research of ancient ceramics but also the ideal destination for free leisure. You can visit the park following the ancient path paved with stones in different sizes. People can see attractions like Gold Cock Stone, Jiuxiu (beauty-gathering) Pavilion, Longkou (dragon-mouth) Waterfall and Forest of Ancient Camphor Tree. Yaoli has a long history of making porcelain, and it can be traced back to mid-time of Tang Dynasty. In the area of Yaoli, there are plenty of ceramic kilns, up to now there are also a large number of kiln relics. Raonan Ceramic Theme Park has many traditional workshops of ceramic production. Visitos can go there to have a real experience.

Initially established in late West Han Dynasty, Yaoli ancient town has hundreds of ancient buildings which were built in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Yaoli ancient town has beautiful natural landscapes. And the rare ancient buildings are distributed on both sides of Yaohe River. These buildings like old buildings in Wuyuan are also strongly featured by Huizhou-style architecture. Cheng-Family Ancestral Memorial vividly shows the art form of Three Carvings of Huizhou Sculpture. There are also the Mansion of Jingshi (the title of winners in ancient imperial examination), Old Residence of General Chen Yi, Meeting Place for Anti-Japanese Mobilization and Stationing Site of Guerrilla of Red Army. The business streets and ancient road of Huizhou are both show its prosperity in the past. Something like colored lanterns and local operas are performing the local folk custom.

Business Street of Ming and Qing Dynasties is one of the most prosperous business streets on Ancient Huizhou Avenue. It has more than 1000 meters long and is divided into the upper section, middle section and down section. Hundreds of shops are well preserved, and the best one is a Shop of Ming Dynasty, which is the cultural relic under the municipal protection. Dongbu Ancient Street is one of Four Ancient Streets in Fuliang, and it is composed of the ancient street, ancient bridges and ancient ports. It used to be the center of Kaoline transportation.

Yaoli ancient town has beautiful natural landscapes.

Yaoli is also an eco-friendly destination. Distinguishing from Huizhou and Wuyuan in some way, The ancient buildings are naturally and tranquilly harmonized with nature and idyllic environment for a long time. travelers here can simultaneously see the ancient town, ancient culture, ancient ceramics and traditional custom together with the local natural landscape which is unique and distinguishable.

And Yaoli is also a small town renowned as the cradle of Jingdezhen’s ceramics industry. More over, it also enjoys the reputation of “the origin of porcelain, the hometown of tea and the sea of the forest”. With good forest coverage, abundant animal resources, characteristic lanes, the town is well-known for its beautiful natural scenery. It is divided into 6 scenic areas, including the Wang Lake Scenic Area, Porcelain and Tea Ancient Town Scenic Area, and Meiling Leisure Resorts and so on.

Yaoli, a place you could be a better human being.

By Tour Bus: “People's Plaza ←→ Yaoli Town”

Yaoli is in Fuliang county which is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from downtown Jingdezhen. With good forest coverage, abundant animal resources, characteristic lanes, the town is well-known for its beautiful natural scenery.

Additionally, it is the cradle of Jingdezhen's ceramics industry. Gaoling (Kaolin) Village located in Yaoli once provided enough raw materials for making porcelain in the ancient times.

Today, Kaolin, a world famous kind of clay, is named according to its Chinese pronunciation.

Yaoli ancient town has hundreds of ancient buildings which were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.