A Showcase for Ceramic Art
Standing on the northern bank of the Dahan River southwest of Taipei City, the town
of Yingge at first glance seems an unlikely magnet for tourists both local and foreign,
looking just like many other low-rise towns studding the flat plains of western
Taiwan. However, on the southern edge of town beside the main road, a huge, imposing
building of striking modern design is the first sign that Yingge is something different.
This is the Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum , which opened in the year 2000,
built as a showcase for the ceramic craftsmanship that has set Yingge apart from
other towns in Taiwan for two centuries.
Yingge Town
Pottery-making came to Yingge in 1804, when a man named Wu An emigrated here from
mainland China and set up the first pottery business. Owing to its strategic position
close to a plentiful supply of good-quality clay and the Dahan River (which in years
past was deeper than it is today and offered convenient transport downriver to Taipei
and the sea beyond), the pottery industry, and later the production of finer-quality
ceramics, flourished. Today, exquisite objets d'art produced by the town's artisans
are highly regarded by collectors. Indeed, one of the town's producers, Taihwa Pottery
, regularly makes artistic pieces for the Presidential Office, which find their
way in the form of gifts for visiting dignitaries to the world's four corners.
The Yingge Ceramics Museum was opened on November 26, 2000, its establishment costing
NT$6 billion, as part of a plan to rejuvenate the town and attract tourism. This
blueprint also included a major facelift for what is now informally called Old Pottery
Street , a section of Jianshanpu Rd. lined with businesses selling ceramic works
of both practical and decorative function, and the developing of the adjacent Yingge
Ceramics Park , with its eyecatching works of contemporary art. The three-story
steel-framed glass building housing the museum is as striking as the exhibits inside,
reached from the busy road by crossing a wide bridge over an elaborate water-art
feature.
Visiting the Museum
The museum exhibits comprehensively cover the surprisingly wide number of applications
for which ceramics are used. While the first hall features fine examples of exquisite
vases, plates, and other ornaments, many of the remaining galleries are devoted
to the history, production, and use of ceramics, the displays continually managing
to rivet visitors' attention with their surprising diversity.
The development of ceramics in Taiwan, from peoples of prehistoric times through
historical-era aboriginal artisans, mainland Chinese immigrants, and the Japanese
during their occupation of the island (1895-1945), is illustrated in a skillfully
designed series of exhibits that includes multimedia installations. Elsewhere, the
fascinating adaptability of ceramics is made clear through novel displays of newer
techniques and modern industrial usages, ranging from electricity insulators to
bathroom sinks and even use in Taiwan's booming high-tech industry. Other rooms
are devoted to kilns and their different types, ranging from the ancient "snake
kiln” design through to today's high-tech models, and even delves into the types
of wood used to fuel kilns.
To get more out of the experience, audio guides in Chinese, English, and Japanese
are available for a small fee, while groups of between twenty and eighty can reserve
a guided tour with one of the official docents at the museum. For a deeper understanding
of the art of ceramics, the museum has a full educational program, including daily
workshops for both adults and children and, for the serious student or researcher,
a large library, an auditorium with occasional seminars, and a well-equipped ceramics
studio where workshops are offered.
Following a visit to the museum's galleries, relax for a while in the Front Art
Cafe, on the level below the main floor, which features huge plate-glass windows
that look out onto a large pool and a stylish artificial waterfall. Before leaving
Yingge, be sure to walk round the corner to Old Pottery Street, to shop for your
own work of art to take home. The overall quality is very high, and the low price
of many beautiful pieces will likely come as a surprise. For something really special,
look for the stunning one-of-a-kind pieces that are the specialty of several of
the artisans. These true works of art are, of course, far more expensive than the
average, but ensure a unique and special memory of any visit to Taiwan.
Practical Info
The museum is open Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends
9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed Mondays and two days at Chinese New Year). Address:
No. 200, Wunhua Rd., Yingge Township, Taipei County ; tel: (02) 8677-2727; website:
www.ceramics.tpc.gov.tw.
Getting There
By Train:
Yingge can be reached by train from Taipei in about thirty minutes. From
the station it's a ten-minute walk or a short taxi ride.
By Car:
Yingge lies beside National Freeway 3, a thirty-minute drive from downtown
Taipei. Take the Sanying Interchange . After crossing the Sanying Bridge, you will
soon see the museum to the left.
Other:
Taipei-
National Palace Museum
Central Taiwan-
National Museum of Natural Science
Southern Taiwan-Kaohsiung's
National Science & Technology Museum
Eastern Taiwan-
The National Museum of Prehistory and Beinan Culture Park
