Guo Junhua – Representative Inheritor of Tibetan Black Pottery Firing Techniques Project in Shangri-la, Diqing 

Inheritance Background

Tangdui Village (汤堆村), the birthplace of Tibetan black pottery, boasts over 2,000 years of pottery-making history. The craft was listed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008. Guo began learning from his father at a young age, participating in all production stages by age 7 – from clay collection to final firing.

Artistic Achievements

Guo has both preserved and innovated the family craft. His works are celebrated for being:

• “Black as lacquer”
• “Shiny as mirror”
• “Hard as porcelain”

With strong ethnic characteristics, he has developed 190+ varieties across 3 categories by blending traditional Tibetan motifs with contemporary designs, including:

• Tea sets
• Tableware
• Vases
• Decorative pieces

His shark-motif carvings (inspired by “Shark Nest” (鲨鱼窝) have become signature works.

Inheritance and Innovation

Recognized as:

• Yunnan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor (2008)

Guo’s preservation efforts include:

• Training his son Guo Wenliang (Tibetan name: Larong Xiaoba), the 8th-generation inheritor
• Establishing a pottery company to research historical techniques
• Documenting Tangdui pottery’s heritage

Social Impact

Guo’s creations have gained international recognition through:

• E-commerce platforms
• Social media promotion
• Cultural tourism

His work has revitalized Nixi Black Pottery (尼西黑陶) while boosting local economic development.

As the representative inheritor, Guo has achieved technical excellence while making outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting this intangible cultural heritage in modern society.