Article No. 6 in the “League of Extraordinary Tainan People” Series - Ceramic Artist Song Chien-Cheng Revitalizing the Local Economy through Hand-Pulled Pottery in Anping
Posted Date:2025-04-11
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Introduce
Tainan has a rich cultural heritage and many talented people. To provide a more in-depth look at the diverse facets of Tainan, Tourism Bureau developed the “League Extraordinary Tainan People” series of articles in partnership with authors Chang Yun-su and Cheng Pei-wen to communicate the spirit and mindset of Tainan’s people through the life stories of master craftsmen. The articles offer the public a glimpse into the beauty of Tainan’s living culture, and provide a different kind of original itinerary in the form of corners and niches these people feel are worth exploring.
According to Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che, ceramic artist Song Chien-cheng was born in New Taipei City but decided make Anping his home after coming to Tainan to study in 1999. He channeled his passion and expertise in ceramics to revitalize the Anping Old Street. Tainan is a nexus of diverse cultures and it is like ceramics where different materials are mixed, shaped, fired, glazed then finally fired again to create ceramic vessels that are imbued with the rich history and culture of this land.
Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government said that Song’s love for ceramics led to him founding a university ceramics club while studying in Tainan. He then began teaching ceramics in Anping communities and on campus. Song felt that Tainan’s abundant materials and pleasant climate made it very suitable for ceramic art, education and promotion. He wanted to introduce everyone young and old to the fun of playing with mud. He began using the summer and winter breaks to work part-time at ceramic tourism factories back home during which he developed a complete repertoire of related skills from giving guided tours to teaching DIY workshops. In 2006, on the even of completing his graduate degree and starting his military service, his little sister Song Kan-jhen happened to come to Tainan for her studies as well. The two of them set up a stall on Anping Old Street as an experiment to teach people pottery and kiln-fire pottery for customers. Once he finished his military service he opened Anping China Store on Yanping Street. At first, business was tough due to inadequate tourist traffic. Today, the seeds of ceramic craft that Song sowed in Anping have begun bearing fruit. He now owns three shop fronts in Anping and his pottery classes attracts 3,000 groups of tourists every year. He has even organized joint marketing campaigns with other merchants to boost the overall development of the Old Street.
Song said that he is very grateful to all the local elders for treating him as family after he moved to Tainan. He already considers him a local and a part of Anping. Large quantities of Anping Pots were once excavated from the old Anping settlements. The sword lion totem derived from the shields of Koxinga’s garrisons can often be found on local door eaves and screen walls as well to ward against evil, pray for good fortune, and suppress evil. There are also wind lions on the rooftops. The interpretation and preservation of these cultural heritage elements not only provide Song with his creativity inspirations but have also application in local excursions and DIY pottery workshops. In 2009, Song was invited by the Anzhong Community to teach residents how to make Anping Pots by hand and inscribe them with folk sayings. In this way, ceramics was incorporated into community building and the cultivation of a local identity. Since then, he has “rehabilitated” sword lions and wind lions by working with clay. He also used Anping oyster shells and incense ash from temples to develop eco-friendly clay and souvenirs. He even mobilized local communities to celebrate the birthdays of Anping Old Fort and Anping Light House, breathing new life into old communities. Another of Song’s initiatives was organizing 100 local business owners to set up the “Anping Lion Fun Park” to provide a platform for cross-industry collaboration and sharing of industry, government and education resources. He now plans to make the Anping China Store a demonstrate site for micro-enterprise clustering and restoration of the ceramic apprenticeship system. It’s better to share the fun and to help others when you have the means to do.
According to the Tourism Bureau, the “League of Extraordinary Tainan People” series of articles has been syndicated since March onwards. The articles will feature the life stories of Tainan master craftsmen and also invite the public to experience the unique style of Tainan. The Tourism Bureau added that the “2025 Hutoupi Water and Green - First Hot Dog Cup” event will be held at Hutoupi from April 12 (Sat) to April 13 (Sun). Everyone in Taiwan is invited to come join the fun. For more information on the latest tourist attractions and events in Tainan, please continue to follow the “Travel Tainan” website and the “Travel Tainan Facebook Fan Page.”
According to Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che, ceramic artist Song Chien-cheng was born in New Taipei City but decided make Anping his home after coming to Tainan to study in 1999. He channeled his passion and expertise in ceramics to revitalize the Anping Old Street. Tainan is a nexus of diverse cultures and it is like ceramics where different materials are mixed, shaped, fired, glazed then finally fired again to create ceramic vessels that are imbued with the rich history and culture of this land.
Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government said that Song’s love for ceramics led to him founding a university ceramics club while studying in Tainan. He then began teaching ceramics in Anping communities and on campus. Song felt that Tainan’s abundant materials and pleasant climate made it very suitable for ceramic art, education and promotion. He wanted to introduce everyone young and old to the fun of playing with mud. He began using the summer and winter breaks to work part-time at ceramic tourism factories back home during which he developed a complete repertoire of related skills from giving guided tours to teaching DIY workshops. In 2006, on the even of completing his graduate degree and starting his military service, his little sister Song Kan-jhen happened to come to Tainan for her studies as well. The two of them set up a stall on Anping Old Street as an experiment to teach people pottery and kiln-fire pottery for customers. Once he finished his military service he opened Anping China Store on Yanping Street. At first, business was tough due to inadequate tourist traffic. Today, the seeds of ceramic craft that Song sowed in Anping have begun bearing fruit. He now owns three shop fronts in Anping and his pottery classes attracts 3,000 groups of tourists every year. He has even organized joint marketing campaigns with other merchants to boost the overall development of the Old Street.
Song said that he is very grateful to all the local elders for treating him as family after he moved to Tainan. He already considers him a local and a part of Anping. Large quantities of Anping Pots were once excavated from the old Anping settlements. The sword lion totem derived from the shields of Koxinga’s garrisons can often be found on local door eaves and screen walls as well to ward against evil, pray for good fortune, and suppress evil. There are also wind lions on the rooftops. The interpretation and preservation of these cultural heritage elements not only provide Song with his creativity inspirations but have also application in local excursions and DIY pottery workshops. In 2009, Song was invited by the Anzhong Community to teach residents how to make Anping Pots by hand and inscribe them with folk sayings. In this way, ceramics was incorporated into community building and the cultivation of a local identity. Since then, he has “rehabilitated” sword lions and wind lions by working with clay. He also used Anping oyster shells and incense ash from temples to develop eco-friendly clay and souvenirs. He even mobilized local communities to celebrate the birthdays of Anping Old Fort and Anping Light House, breathing new life into old communities. Another of Song’s initiatives was organizing 100 local business owners to set up the “Anping Lion Fun Park” to provide a platform for cross-industry collaboration and sharing of industry, government and education resources. He now plans to make the Anping China Store a demonstrate site for micro-enterprise clustering and restoration of the ceramic apprenticeship system. It’s better to share the fun and to help others when you have the means to do.
According to the Tourism Bureau, the “League of Extraordinary Tainan People” series of articles has been syndicated since March onwards. The articles will feature the life stories of Tainan master craftsmen and also invite the public to experience the unique style of Tainan. The Tourism Bureau added that the “2025 Hutoupi Water and Green - First Hot Dog Cup” event will be held at Hutoupi from April 12 (Sat) to April 13 (Sun). Everyone in Taiwan is invited to come join the fun. For more information on the latest tourist attractions and events in Tainan, please continue to follow the “Travel Tainan” website and the “Travel Tainan Facebook Fan Page.”
