Fan, the village's Party chief, makes a teapot at night. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]
Rising popularity
The village now has three comprehensive industry bases, 12 creative art teams and more than 300 art studios. Products from Xiwang have grown in popularity among purple clay enthusiasts.
Last year, the annual output value of purple clay products in Xiwang was 260 million yuan ($40.08 million), the highest of all villages in Dingshu town. Villagers' annual income has also risen to about 100,000 yuan－among the highest in Yixing.
Fan said, "Over the years, Party members have greatly revitalized purple clay art in the village," adding that many veteran artists are also Party members who provide free training to students.
One of these veterans is Zhou Juying, who has worked in the industry for more than 30 years and has taught many female students at her studio.
"I cannot remember the exact number of students I have taught. It could be close to 200. Many of them have already opened studios and started their own businesses," she said.
Zhou added that the village has undergone sweeping changes over the past three decades. When she relocated to Xiwang after her marriage, the village did not have a proper road, and even the local tricycle driver was unwilling to drive into Xiwang, as he knew his vehicle would become stuck in muddy tracks.
The village now has concrete paving leading to each home. Some 180 studios lining a single street produce handmade teapots and other artworks made from purple clay. The prices of these products range from hundreds of yuan to tens of thousands of yuan for prized items.
"The government has been pivotal in making village life better and opening up unprecedented opportunities for us. I now work at my studio in the day and dance in the plaza with my neighbors in the evening. To me, life here is no different to that in urban areas," Zhou said.
Fan said: "If rural areas achieve prosperity, the whole country thrives. The report for the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 mentioned the strategy of rural vitalization. I have seen governments at all levels working to explore new ways to boost rural areas."
In February, China unveiled its No 1 Central Document, which states that efforts will be made to advance rural vitalization and accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas.
By 2025, the nation will see substantial progress in the modernization of agriculture and the countryside, with achievements made in establishing a solid agricultural foundation and narrowing the income gap between rural and urban residents, according to the document.
Feng Xiaochun, Yixing's Party chief, said village vitalization is a key task for the city, where about 50 percent of residents live in rural areas.
"Only when we achieve rural vitalization can we achieve success in Yixing," Feng said during the city's rural working conference in March.
Feng also pointed out that rural vitalization is not only about agriculture, but also involves deepening "the connection between rural areas and ecology, culture, sports and healthcare businesses, to upgrade the economic function of the area."
Fan agrees with this sentiment.
"Villages are different from each other and need to find unique features and strong points during the exploration of rural vitalization. Purple clay art is definitely our passport to prosperity," he said.
Fan added that he has a plan for Xiwang to showcase its art to the world, which will see old factories in the village renovated and a center set up for pottery artists from home and abroad to display their work.
Meanwhile, international exhibitions and contests have been held to attract more artists and fans to the village. Artists from nations such as Japan, South Korea and Malaysia have visited Xiwang to set up studios and exhibit their work.
Experts in spatial design have also been approached to revamp the village.
"Xiwang is my home and is where my heart and soul lie," Fan said. "I hope to popularize the ancient craft of purple clay for more people and I also hope more visitors can come to the countryside to realize their dreams in the land of purple clay."
