Purple Clay Fortress of Innocence

Jianshui Purple Clay is one of China's four famous pottery types, renowned for its unique "unglazed polishing" technique and rich cultural heritage. If you're planning to visit Jianshui to experience purple clay culture, here's a detailed travel guide covering must-visit attractions, experiences, food recommendations, and transportation information. --- ### **I. Must-Visit Attractions and Purple Clay Cultural Experiences** 1. **Wanyao Village** - **Key Highlights**: This is the birthplace of Jianshui purple clay pottery with over 700 years of pottery-making history. The village is filled with ancient kiln sites and modern purple clay workshops. - **Experiences**: Visit dragon kiln ruins, observe traditional wheel-throwing techniques, create your own purple clay pieces (wheel-throwing, carving, clay filling, etc.). - **Recommended Workshops**: Beishan Pottery Manor, Chongwen Tongchuang Intangible Heritage Workshop (offering complete purple clay making experiences). 2. **Purple Clay Street** - **Features**: Converted from an old pottery factory, it's a shopping and DIY experience zone by day and transforms into a vibrant food night market in the evening. - **Recommended Activities**: Shop for purple clay tea sets and vases, taste Jianshui's specialties like grilled tofu and grass sprout rice noodles. 3. **Purple Clay Museum** - **Exhibition Content**: Showcases the history of Jianshui purple clay, evolution of techniques, and works by famous artists - perfect for an in-depth understanding of purple clay culture. 4. **Ant Workshop** - **Art Space**: Designed by artist Luo Xu, it combines modern art with purple clay elements. Great for photos and pottery creation experiences. 5. **Ancient Kiln Sites** - **Recommended Location**: Yuan Dynasty dragon kiln ruins behind Wanyao Village, where you can feel the thousand-year heritage of kiln firing. --- ### **II. Special Food Recommendations** 1. **Jianshui Grilled Tofu** - Chess piece-sized tofu grilled over charcoal, crispy outside and tender inside, eaten with chili powder. Featured in "A Bite of China." 2. **Steam Pot Chicken** - Steamed in purple clay pots, with delicious broth and tender meat. Recommended at Xiyuan Hotel. 3. **Grass Sprout Rice Noodles** - Jianshui's unique aquatic plant "grass sprouts" added to fresh, sweet rice noodles. 4. **Lion Cake and Bird's Nest Pastry** - Traditional sweet treats with crispy textures, perfect as souvenirs. --- ### **III. Transportation and Accommodation** - **Transportation**: - Jianshui is about 214 km from Kunming. You can take a high-speed train (about 2 hours) or bus (about 3.5 hours) from Kunming. - Within the county, you can take taxis or rent electric vehicles to tour around. Purple Clay Street, Wanyao Village, and other attractions are relatively close to each other. - **Accommodation**: - **Purple Clay-themed Guesthouses**: Such as artistic guesthouses in Purple Clay Town, decorated with purple clay elements for an immersive pottery culture experience. - **Xiyuan Hotel**: Close to Purple Clay Street, convenient for tasting local cuisine. --- ### **IV. Suggested Itinerary (2-3 days)** - **Day 1**: Wanyao Village (pottery-making experience) → Purple Clay Museum → Purple Clay Street Night Market - **Day 2**: Ant Workshop → Ancient Kiln Sites → Chongwen Tongchuang Intangible Heritage Workshop (in-depth purple clay making experience) - **Day 3**: Jianshui Confucian Temple/Zhu Family Garden (optional) → Return journey --- ### **V. Shopping Guide** - **Recommended Purple Clay Products**: Tea sets (ideal for Pu'er tea), vases, stationery items, with prices ranging from tens to thousands of yuan. - **Where to Buy**: Purple Clay Street, Wanyao Village workshops (prices negotiable). For high-end collectibles, it's advisable to purchase from the museum or master craftsmen's studios. A journey to experience Jianshui purple clay not only allows you to appreciate the charm of traditional craftsmanship but also experience the slow-paced lifestyle of southern Yunnan. If you have more time, you can include Jianshui Ancient Town, Swallow Cave, and other attractions to enrich your trip!