Craftsman Shen Xuedong shows a Jianzhan porcelain. [Photo by Li Nanxuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Craftsman Shen Xuedong in Shuiji town, Nanping city, Fujian province, has long been dedicated to making Jianzhan porcelain - a traditional tea bowl fired in a kiln. The technique was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in China in 2011.

As an experienced master, Shen is familiar with all 13 steps in the process, including shaping, glazing and firing.

Craftsman Shen Xuedong works on a Jianzhan porcelain in Nanping city, Fujian province. [Photo by Li Nanxuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The long-lost craft was revived in the city in the 1980s. In recent years, production has greatly increased through the application of electric and gas furnaces.

Nanping is home to many enterprises that specialize in the making of Jianzhan porcelain, and Shuiji town, long known for its kilns, boasts a cultural relic under national protection — a 136-meter-long kiln, the longest in the country.