At 12:44 p.m. local time on July 25, 2026, during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea, China’s nominated property, the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites, was successfully inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The inscription brings the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 61.
Located in the northeastern part of Jiangxi Province, the property comprises five components: the Town Area Porcelain Production Center, the Hutian Ancient Kiln Site, the Gaoling Porcelain Clay Mining Site, the Changling Porcelain Stone Mining Site, and the Jiaotan Firewood Production Area. It includes 15 groups of heritage elements and 45 individual heritage sites, preserving a complete handicraft porcelain production system dating from the 10th to the 19th centuries. The property encompasses the key stages of porcelain production, including raw material extraction, fuel supply, manufacturing, and transportation networks.
The World Heritage Committee recognizes the site under UNESCO’s cultural criteria No 2, 3, 4, and 6. The Committee noted that Jingdezhen became the world’s leading center of handicraft porcelain production from the 16th century onward, and that the property demonstrates the continuous innovation of porcelain-making technology, ceramic art, and industrial organization in China between the 10th and 19th centuries. It also acknowledges Jingdezhen’s profound influence on the development of porcelain production worldwide and on cultural exchange among civilizations. In particular, Jingdezhen blue-and-white porcelain, as an important vehicle for the dissemination of Chinese culture and a symbol of Eastern art, contributed significantly to the global spread of Chinese civilization and culture.
The Committee also recognized the integrity and authenticity of the property and highly commended the Chinese government for its sustained efforts and achievements in the conservation, management, and transmission of this cultural heritage.
Rao Quan, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, spoke on behalf of the Chinese government, expressing gratitude to international organizations and Committee members. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the World Heritage Convention, strengthening the integrated and systematic protection and sustainable use of the property, and working with all States Parties to safeguard the shared heritage of humanity.
The conservation of the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites has continued for nearly half a century, while the World Heritage nomination process lasted 11 years. In recent years, based on sustained archaeological research, site conservation, environmental improvement, and value interpretation, the nomination was expanded from the Imperial Kiln Factory Site to the entire handicraft porcelain production chain, resulting in a more comprehensive heritage system. In 2025, the property was officially designated as China’s nomination for the 2026 World Heritage inscription cycle, and successfully underwent the on-site evaluation, submission of supplementary materials, and the examination process.
The inscription of the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List not only fills the gap in the World Heritage List under the theme of porcelain, but also further highlights Jingdezhen’s historical significance as the world’s porcelain capital. The inscription marks a new beginning. The National Cultural Heritage Administration, together with Jiangxi Province and Jingdezhen Municipality, will continue to strengthen the systematic conservation and interpretation of the property, promote the sustainable development of the heritage site, and contribute to mutual learning among civilizations and the prosperity of world culture.
