Yingge: Stir Clay with Water

There is a Taiwanese saying that goes: “Beitou charcoal, Daxi braised dried tofu, Sanxia ruffians, and Yingge ceramics.” Long famed for its pottery, even today Yingge is home to large ceramic, kiln, and tile factories, as well as dozens of smaller workshops.

The history of Yingge can be traced back to the eighth year of Qing Dynasty Emperor Jiaqing (1804) and the Wu An Clan which had started crafting water tanks and pottery urns among other household items in Tuzikeng of Yingge’s Dahu area. Ethnic conflict forced the Wu An Clan to later move to Kanzijiao before finally settling in Jianshanpu. Following in the clan’s footsteps, today the Yingge pottery industry remains concentrated in the areas of Tuzikeng, Kanzijiao and Jianshanpu.

During the Japanese colonial period, due to area’s geographic and topographic advantages, easy transportation access, and large coal reserves, Yingge was chosen as home for what were called snake kilns, which marked the beginning of area’s pottery industry. 1970s to 1990s were the heyday years for Yingge. Business was good. So good that on Yingge’s old street alone 300 chimneys belched smoke. Residents from surrounding communities often half-joked about the wealth of Yingge, saying: “They make out like bandits, earning more than 90 cents for every dollar.” Even children who did odds and ends for the family pottery trade could make a substantial allowance. However, after the lifting of trade barriers with China in 1990, Yingge found itself unable to match its competitors in price and cost. Many businesses left the Yingge area, and the local industry declined as a whole. Today Yingge looks to reinvent itself with a focus on craftmanship and refinement.