Tongluo Kiln

Tongluo Kiln Introduction

Tongluo Kiln was established in 1967. The late founder, Mr. Zhang Xinxiang, became an apprentice at the age of thirteen under Master Li Yiwu from Fuzhou, learning the technique of hand-pressing clay. In 1967, he founded the "Tongluo Ceramic Factory," primarily producing flower pots, pickling jars, soy sauce containers, and more. In the 1970s, the second generation of kiln owners, Mr. Zhang Shihao and his wife, continued the founder’s philosophy by producing traditional water tanks and wine jars in bulk. In the 1990s, they made the largest wine jars in Taiwan (approximately 200 cm in height) for the Tobacco and Liquor Agency, establishing Tongluo Kiln's reputation for producing the largest ceramic pieces in Taiwan. In 2013, the third generation owner, Mr. Zhang Weihan, graduated from university and initially did not intend to return home to inherit the soon-to-be-lost craft. However, upon learning from his parents that the kiln would close if he did not return, he resolved to take on the responsibility and mission of inheriting three generations of Tongluo Kiln and preserving traditional hand-pressing techniques. In 2014, Zhang Weihan established Tongluo Yipin Enterprise and received numerous awards, including the Hakka Youth Innovation and Development Award from the Hakka Affairs Council in 2017, certification as Hakka Cultural Homes in 2020, recognition from the Agricultural and Food Agency for preserving rural cultural techniques in hand-pressing in 2021, the National Youth Medal in 2022, and a third-class Hakka Affairs Professional Medal in 2023. In recent years, he has gradually completed the inheritance of techniques, development of operator management models, and the training of successors to ensure that the previous generation can retire with peace of mind. Tongluo Kiln is currently one of the few remaining manufacturers of large ceramic jars and vats in Taiwan and is also the oldest traditional kiln in Miaoli County. It is connected to the Miaoli County Government as one of the six entrepreneurial bases in Miaoli County - the Tongluo Kiln Youth Entrepreneurship Base. Over the past two years, it linked with the central National Development Council to become a youth empowerment station for local revitalization. Future developments will balance practicality and diverse operations, aiming to explore new uses and marketing channels, and develop towards cultural creativity, leisure, and tourism. Embracing tradition while keeping up with the times is the motto of the third-generation kiln owner, Weihan, who strives to preserve the traditional techniques of their ancestors while innovating business models to ensure the traditional kiln can continue operations and create a new generation for Tongluo Kiln. Tongluo Kiln has culture, history, local characteristics, and the prospect of inheritance. In the future, it will continue promoting Miaoli ceramics and collaborate with local artisans to offer courses, lectures, and promote Hakka culture. The kiln owner, Zhang Weihan, currently serves as the chairman of the Miaoli County Ceramic Association, honorary chairman of the Tongluo Bay Revitalization Development Association, and a consulting member of the Hakka Affairs Council, wholeheartedly promoting Miaoli ceramics and local Hakka culture. In recent years, he has also been actively involved in local revitalization and community building, hoping that more young people will join the team to strive for the local community's development.

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