Guo Junhua – Representative Inheritor of Tibetan Black Pottery Firing Techniques Project in Shangri-la, Diqing
Profile of Guo Junhua
Guo Junhua (Tibetan name: Dangzhen Pichu), male, was born in 1966 in Tangdui Village (汤堆村), Nixi Township (尼西乡), Shangri-La City (香格里拉市), Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (迪庆藏族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省). He is the representative inheritor of Tibetan black pottery firing techniques.
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.
