Tongluo Kiln Introduction
Established in 1967, the Tongo Pottery has been passed down through three generations: Zhang Xinhsiang, Zhang Shih-hao, and Zhang Weihan. It has over 50 years of history and is one of the few traditional kilns in Taiwan that produces large ceramic pots and jars using hand-pressed techniques. Tongo Pottery is located along the road from Zhushen Village in Tongluo Township, on the way to Tongxiao. The old roof tiles witness the rise and fall of the Miaoli pottery industry. The late founder, Mr. Zhang Xinhsiang, apprenticed at the age of seventeen under Master Li Yiwu from Fuzhou, learning the skill of hand-pressing ceramic forms. In 1967, he independently founded the “Tongo Pottery Factory,” producing flower pots, pickling jars, soy sauce jars, and more. Currently, Tongo Pottery is operated by the second-generation owners, Zhang Shih-hao and his wife Peng Hsiu-mei, and is being passed on to the third generation. The third-generation owner, Zhang Weihan, and his wife Lin Ying-rui have also begun to tread the path of inheritance in recent years. Tongo Pottery specializes in traditional Fuzhou-style pottery techniques, renowned for its hand-pressing skills, particularly in producing extra-large jars. The precise techniques and steps used in their craft have made their large wine jars famous both near and far. Additionally, their hand-pressing techniques have produced countless pots and jars in the Hakka region of Tongluo, Miaoli. The third-generation owner Zhang Weihan is dedicated to inheriting these traditional skills, hoping to inject the younger generation into the traditional pottery industry and continue the legacy of Hakka pottery culture. Tongo Pottery offers a diverse range of products, from 20-kilogram small wine jars to 800-kilogram large storage wine jars, as well as various sizes of storage tanks for pickled vegetables and soy sauce, tea storage jars, wood-fired teacups, tea sets, large landscape ceramics, and ceramic art creations. At the same time, they are actively innovating, researching changes in glazes, and aiming for practicality in daily use, striving for diversification in their operations. Plans for the future include adding exhibition and sales areas and a storytelling center to create value for the old kiln.
