Keeping Dragon Kiln Pottery From Extinction
There are no dragons spewing fire in dragon kilns, which were once essential to the ancient art of traditional pottery. Sadly, the art of wood-firing dragon kilns might just be on its way to extinction if they are not preserved and passed down to next generations.
The oldest surviving dragon kiln in Singapore is hidden in the deep west of the city-state. Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle is a treasure trove of clay and ceramic works that has been kept alive for three generations here in Singapore.
Keeping the flames alive for decades, TKDK founder Tan Kim Sheh is a third-generation potter who assisted his grandfather and father with the pottery business in China to sustain a living. He brought the family entreprise to Singapore in 1965 from his porcelain village in Swatow, China, after buying a dragon kiln that was built in 1940 by Chaozhou migrants. Unknowingly, he settled and rooted his passion for pottery, which ignited an entire ceramic industry in the country back in the day.
What is a dragon kiln? It is a traditional Chinese form of kiln used for Chinese ceramics, especially in southern China. A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay into pottery, tiles and bricks. It is called dragon kiln because it resembles a dragon.
Keeping the art of dragon kiln pottery from extinction
3 Generations: L-R Stella, Teck Yoke and Yulianti. Seated: Mdm Kuan
For the past 56 years the Tan family has been running Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle as it now known in Singapore. Having been exposed to the pottery factory, they developed the business model that has survived until today.
“To build on the concept of the ‘Pottery Jungle’ where people can discover beauty in its simplest state,” is the family’s collective goal. The longyao (dragon kiln) itself is a living fossil. It records the generations this art has been passed on to in Singapore.
There used to be more than 20 dragon kilns in the 1940s to the 1970s. In the early years, the dragon kiln was used for the mass production of cups and functional wares to meet the demands of household and industrial use. Today Pottery Jungle is one of the two oldest surviving brick-built kilns in Singapore for wood-firing. While it is a major exporter and importer of pottery wares, it also has a strong sense of preserving the wood-fire dragon kiln tradition.
To keep the flames burning, Pottery Jungle provides a platform for artists and potters to pursue their artistic interests, fuelling an understanding and appreciation of the disappearing art of wood-firing. The dragon kiln also stands as a cultural icon to educate younger generations on the traditions and heritage of Chinese culture, particularly the Teochew dialect group.
The Pottery Jungle is the proud recipient of The Stewards of Singapore’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Award bestowed by the National Heritage Board. The award recognises practitioners of intangible cultural heritage who have made outstanding contributions in their field and are dedicated to the promotion and transmission of their practices.
“We hope to continue to promote the skill of pottery making, knowledge of the dragon kiln and the process of wood firing to more generations through hands-on workshop and tours,” said Yulianti, the wife of Tan Teck Yoke, a descendant of Tan Kim Sheh. “We aim to create a natural environment where potters can draw inspiration for their art pieces.”
Yulianti started hands-on pottery workshops in 2000. Her goal is to educate more on the importance of preserving the heritage of dragon kiln while advocating an appreciation of ceramics. Back then she and Thow Kwang clay artists awakened the sleeping dragon kiln, so to speak. Being a passionate lover of wood firing, you will see sparks in her eyes when she introduces the dragon kiln and her wood-fired work. She is also an Ikebana artist who makes her own vases.
Pottery making is a very calming art. It calms your soul and gives you a sense of grounding.
“Learning pottery as a craft allows you to go through failure and disciplines you not to take shortcuts,” said current generation Stella Tan, a niece of Teck Yoke. “Problem solving, stress reduction, motor skill improvement and focus are just a few of the other attributes that creating pottery can positively affect us.”
Stella added: “My favourite pottery piece is the one I made eight years ago when I returned to the family business. It was covered with salt and natural wood effects. Family members said it is a welcome gift from my late-grandpa [Tan Kim Sheh].”
The Covid-19 pandemic paved the way for Pottery Jungle to enter the world of e-commerce. It decided to take photos of the products, edit and launch a website.
During the circuit breaker period last year, it launched batches of pottery products for sale and personally delivered to customers’ doorstep. It nudged Pottery Jungle a step closer to reaching more customers as well as raising awareness of the art of dragon kiln pottery.
Stella, who is also in-charge of leading and taking the family business into the future, thoughtfully noted that expanding into e-commerce keeps everyone in the “jungle” busy and alive during Covid that she described as the “lowest period” in the business.
“Many would think all traditional businesses would be in trouble during the circuit breaker. We stepped out of our comfort zone to do something different,” Stella said.
As Singapore continues to face unpredictable Covid-induced social restrictions Pottery Jungle conducts its hands-on workshops via Zoom, where it also provides live tours that allow participants to see the dragon kiln.
“Yes, it’s another whole new experience,” Stella said. “But I believe in practise makes perfect and nothing comes easy.”
With a strong bond and an unwavering commitment to treasure the legacy and keep the longyao fire burning, the Tan family is undoubtedly protecting the ancient art of dragon kiln pottery-making tradition from extinction.
Karmela | ws
(Images: Pottery Jungle)
Pottery Jungle, 85 Lorong Tawas, Singapore 639823 | Open daily from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (pls call to reconfirm if shop is open due to Covid restrictions) | Tel: +65 6268 6121 / +65 6265 5808 | whatsapp message only: +65 8949 0168
