Ancient porcelain arts thrive again in a Chinese river town

Jingdezhen, China

FOR centuries, the most coveted china from China came out of Jingdezhen's workshops - fashioned from clay made smooth by trained hands, fired in kilns and then transported across the world.

The works graced the courts of the Persians, Mongols and French. Some craved blue-and-white vases. Others admired jade-green celadon bowls. This was China's greatest export, the rival of silk.