Chinese craftsman’s passion for reviving ancient painted pottery technique

Linxia, a city in northwest China’s Gansu province, is home to many Majiayao cultural relics, with painted pottery dating back over 5,000 years.

Ma Heimai, a craftsman from Linxia who was born in the 1970s, still uses a local ancient Majiayao painted pottery technique today.

Ma enjoyed playing with clay as a child, and turned his interest into a way to make a living.

Now, he’s set up a pottery factory with the help of the local government, with its output amounting to over 8,000 pieces of pottery a year.

At the same time, Ma holds ceramic art classes to provide more opportunities for young people who are interested in the craft, passing on his wisdom to younger generations.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service