景德镇 · Jǐngdézhèn

JINGDEZHEN

The millennium-old 'Porcelain Capital' — working kilns, studios and imperial-ware museums.

RegionJiangxi
Population~1.6M
Best TimeMar–May, Sep–Nov
LanguageMandarin Chinese
CurrencyRMB ¥ · USD 1 ≈ ¥6.7
Official website https://www.jingdezhen.gov.cn/ ↗

Overview

Jingdezhen has made porcelain for over 1,700 years and supplied imperial kilns for centuries. Today it is a living craft city — studios line the lanes, masters throw at the wheel, and you can watch glaze and fire up close.

It is also a creative hub, drawing young designers who have turned old factory districts into galleries and cafés.

First-timer's checklist: Ceramic Museum · Ancient Kiln Folk Park · Yaoli · Imperial Kiln Museum · Sanbao · Hutian

Top Attractions

Here are the highlights worth your time in Jingdezhen.

1Ceramic Museum

陶瓷博物馆

A huge collection of porcelain through the dynasties.

Free

2Ancient Kiln Folk Park

古窑民俗博览区

Working Song-Ming kilns and live throwing demonstrations.

Tickets ¥95

3Yaoli

瑶里

A riverside old town and the clay's source village.

Tickets ¥60

4Imperial Kiln Museum

御窑博物馆

A striking concrete museum on the imperial-kiln site.

Tickets ¥40

5Sanbao

三宝

An artists' village of studios in the hills.

Free to wander

6Hutian Kilns

湖田窑

Ruins of a major Song-Yuan kiln complex.

Tickets ¥25

Food & Drink

Jingdezhen has its own kitchen — here are the dishes to try.

🍜

Jingdezhen Cold Noodles

景德镇冷粉 · Jǐngdézhèn lěngfěn

Thick cold rice noodles with chili and peanut.

🍡

Alkali Cake

碱水粑 · Jiǎnshuǐ bā

A steamed rice cake stir-fried with greens.

🍩

You Tiao Bao

油条包麻糍 · Yóutiáo bāo mácí

Fried dough wrapped around sticky-rice sweets.

🥟

Jiaozi Ba

饺子粑 · Jiǎozi bā

Rice dumplings with savoury or sweet fillings.

🍗

Clay-Roast Chicken

瓷泥煨鸡 · Cí ní wēi jī

Chicken baked in clay from the kilns.

🍽️ Where to eat

  • The cold-noodle breakfast is the local ritual — join the queue.
  • Sanbao cafés are good for a slow afternoon.

Culture & Nightlife

Cultural experiences

Where to go at night

🏺

Studio Nights

Open studios and kiln light in Sanbao.

Café Lanes

Old-factory cafés and bars.

🎨

Gallery Walks

Pop-up shows on weekends.

Getting There & Around

By Rail

High-speed from Nanchang (~1.5 h); from Huangshan ~1 h.

By Air

Jingdezhen (JDZ) has domestic flights.

Bus

Coaches to Yaoli and the kiln parks.

DiDi

Works with foreign cards.

Bike

Flat town, easy to cycle.

Where to Stay

Where you stay shapes the trip. Three good bases:

🏺

Studio Inn

Stay in a converted workshop.

🌾

Yaoli

Riverside guesthouses in the old town.

🏨

City Centre

Practical and central.

🏨 Hotel tips

  • Stay near the ancient-kiln park to watch firing.
  • A 2-day visit lets you try a throwing class.

Who Visits Jingdezhen?

Craft lovers, designers, slow travellers.

Before you go: check the visa rules, set up Alipay / WeChat Pay, and read our transport tips.

Practical Tips

🎯 Top tips for Jingdezhen

  • Take a throwing class — many studios welcome visitors.
  • The Imperial Kiln Museum building is a sight itself.
  • Combine with Yaoli for a countryside day.
  • Spring and autumn are best; summer is humid.
  • Buy directly from studios for fair prices.
  • It is a slow city — enjoy the pace.