UNESCO Adds Jingdezhen Porcelain Industry Sites to World Heritage List

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites to the World Heritage List on July 25, 2026. The decision was finalized during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea. This designation brings China's total number of World Heritage sites to 61 and marks the first time the country has nominated an industrial heritage site for this status.

Located in Jiangxi Province, the property covers 1,979 hectares and consists of five core areas: the Town Area Porcelain Production Center, Hutian Ancient Kiln Site, Gaoling Porcelain Clay Mining Site, Changling Porcelain Stone Mining Site, and Jiaotan Firewood Production Area. These sites document a production system that flourished from the 10th to the 19th centuries, influencing global ceramic development and the European chinoiserie style.

The inscription follows years of local preservation efforts to restore defunct factories and a 2023 inspection tour by Xi Jinping, who urged the city to maintain its reputation as the global porcelain capital through innovation and research. More recently, the city hosted a Congress of the International Academy of Ceramics in early July 2026, attracting over 400 international artists. Representing the Chinese government, Rao Quan pledged continued commitment to the sustainable use and protection of the sites in coordination with UNESCO.