Zhumal Shekiao Ancient Kiln Eco Museum Introduction
Upon hearing about snake kilns, one might easily associate it with snakes and mistakenly think its shape is curved, but in fact, snake kilns are elongated and uninterrupted. In the early days of Taiwan, snake kilns were commonly found throughout various regions and served as ordinary kilns for firing everyday pottery. Due to their fragile nature, very few snake kilns remain in Taiwan today. The Zhunan Snake Kiln was established in 1972 and initially measured 23 meters long; it currently measures only 17 meters. However, it is one of the few well-preserved snake kilns in Taiwan and is still capable of producing finished goods. In 2001, it was selected as one of the National Historic Building Sites by the Council for Cultural Affairs and is listed as a historical building in Miaoli County, highlighting its value. Although it features traditional architecture, the operational philosophy of the Zhunan Snake Kiln is anything but traditional. It integrates innovative concepts into the ancient pottery firing techniques, transforming the kiln's role from a mere furnace to a promoter of traditional ceramic culture. The kiln owner is dedicated to traditional pottery teaching and production and regularly holds ceramic art exhibitions, wholeheartedly promoting pottery art. This not only preserves traditional craftsmanship but also brings impressive expressions in modern art. With the injection of new vitality, it can be imagined that the torch of pottery skills will not be extinguished and will be sustainably passed down in the future.
