Students attend the "Belt and Road" International Ceramic Education Alliance Ceramic Creation Camp in Jingdezhenpennfierceiiispinningreel8000, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 17, 2024pennfierceiiispinningreel8000. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

NANCHANG, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- When Marine Michele-Ange Nathalie Chaleron sat down at her potter's wheel, she was delighted to find that her every touch breathed life into the once shapeless porcelain clay.

This summer, 24-year-old Chaleron's enthusiasm for ceramics brought her across Eurasia to Jingdezhen, a hub of China's ceramics industry.

The city is located in east China's Jiangxi Province and is known around the world as the "porcelain capital," with a history of ceramics spanning more than 2,000 years.

This profound history continues to spur innovation. With its strong cultural magnetism, Jingdezhen has become a window through which the world can experience China's development and appreciate Chinese culture.

From June 28 to July 28, Jingdezhen Ceramic University held the "Belt and Road" International Ceramic Education Alliance Ceramic Creation Camp in the city.

Alongside over 100 international ceramics enthusiasts from nine countries, Chaleron spent her summer holiday learning new skills, taking part in cultural exchange and gaining hands-on creative experience.

During the event, she and her fellow camp participants placed their ceramic creations into a wood-fired kiln, with many experiencing the traditional firing method for the first time.

"We don't even know what one-of-a-kind creations will be revealed until we reach the moment to open the kiln. That's amazing," Chaleron said, brimming with visible excitement.

Having studied at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Art de Dijon (ENSA Dijon) in France, Chaleron has long been captivated by this art form and has taught herself to create her own ceramics.

Speaking to Xinhua, she said that she tries to incorporate local cultural elements into her work whenever she travels to a new place, creating a new world at her fingertips.

"During my time in Jingdezhen, the Chinese teachers and fellow participants here have been incredibly willing to share their knowledge and skills. I'm very grateful for this opportunity and have gained so much," she said.

Rebecca Zhang, 19, who hails from the United States, said that the Jingdezhen camp has a magnetic pull and is a communication platform for ceramics enthusiasts.

"This camp has given us demos from local masters. I've learned a lot of new techniques and skills that I've never seen before," Zhang said. "Each master was really specialized in their craft. They were very knowledgeable and had so much to share, and it was a lot to take in."

Zhang also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn from some of China's most skilled artisans, and for the sense of community she experienced in the city.

"Art is universal. We are glad to see more and more young people participate in cultural exchange in Jingdezhen. They can better know each other through the porcelain," Amel Nafti, director of ENSA Dijon, said when she visited Chaleron during the event.■

Marine Michele-Ange Nathalie Chaleron paints on a porcelain body in Jingdezhen, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)