Xu Rubao

徐如宝

Silver Repair & Ceramic Restoration · Chayang Kiln Artist · De Yu Jian Zhan Studio

Artist Xu Rubao 徐如宝

Born September 1978

Region Jianyang · Nanping, Fujian

Studio 得予建盏陶瓷工作室 · De Yu Jian Zhan

Specialties Silver Restoration · Tea Ware · Wood Firing

Recognition Yanping District Chayang Kiln Inheritor

About Xu Rubao

Xu Rubao (徐如宝), born in 1978 in Jianyang, Fujian, is a contemporary ceramic artist and collector whose practice brings together traditional tea ware, historical Chinese ceramics, and ceramic restoration.

He established De Yu Jian Zhan Ceramic Studio (得予建盏陶瓷工作室) in 2008, developing contemporary ceramic works inspired by traditional northern Fujian pottery and Song dynasty tea culture.

Xu is also known among tea ware collectors for silver repair and restoration. This work complements his study of older ceramics, bringing attention to the preservation of damaged vessels alongside the creation of new ones.

Silver Repair & Restoration

One of Xu Rubao’s most distinctive associations among collectors is his work with silver repairs and restored ceramic vessels.

Silver repair introduces a new material into the history of a ceramic object. Damage that might otherwise end a vessel’s use can instead become part of its continuing life, with the repair contributing its own visual character.

His restoration-related work is of particular interest to collectors of older tea bowls and historically inspired Jian ware, where the relationship between the original ceramic and subsequent restoration is an important part of understanding the object.

Examples associated with Xu have also been described by collectors as reglazed older cups. Reglazing is distinct from silver repair and represents a different type of intervention into the original ceramic surface.

For restored pieces, photographs and records of the vessel before and after treatment can help document both its original condition and the later craftsmanship.

Chayang Kiln & Heritage Recognition

Xu Rubao is a district-level representative inheritor of Chayang kiln-making techniques (茶洋窑制作技艺), recognized in the fourth group of inheritors announced by the Yanping District People’s Government in January 2021.

Chayang kiln is a historic ceramic production center in the Yanping region of Nanping, Fujian. Its ceramic tradition developed during the Song dynasty and incorporates influences from Jian, Longquan, Jingdezhen, and other Chinese kiln systems.

Chayang ware includes black-glazed tea bowls, celadon, and other ceramic forms. Although closely related to the wider northern Fujian ceramic tradition, Chayang has its own vessel characteristics, materials, and firing heritage.

Xu’s recognition reflects his participation in the preservation and continued practice of this historic regional craftsmanship.

Training & Lineage

In 2019, Xu Rubao studied traditional Chayang kiln techniques under Liu Yiyuan (刘益元), a Nanping municipal-level representative inheritor of Chayang kiln-making techniques.

Liu comes from a family with generations of traditional ceramic craftsmanship and is associated with the preservation of Chayang wood-firing techniques.

Xu’s training under Liu connects his contemporary practice with the transmission of traditional regional kiln knowledge.

De Yu Jian Zhan Studio

Xu established De Yu Jian Zhan Ceramic Studio in 2008. His documented practice includes tea bowls, wood-fired ceramics, jars, vases, and works inspired by historical ceramic forms.

His interests in traditional pottery and antique collecting inform his approach to vessel design, glaze development, and the study of older firing techniques.

In addition to operating his studio, Xu has participated in regional ceramic exhibitions and activities promoting Jian ware and Chayang kiln craftsmanship.

Representative Works

Published biographical records associate Xu Rubao with several named ceramic works and glaze traditions.

柴烧紫烟 Wood-Fired Purple Mist

柿红钵 Persimmon-Red Bowl

绿兔毫闻香杯 Green Hare’s-Fur Aroma Cup

现代茶洋窑酱釉兔毫葫芦瓶 Modern Chayang Hare’s-Fur Gourd Vase

Biographical records also report the collection of Xu’s contemporary Chayang ware by the Nanping Museum in 2020.

Marks & Identification

Xu registered the maker brand 徐如宝制 in 2018, according to published biographical information.

徐如宝制 Made by Xu Rubao

His studio name may also appear in associated presentation materials. Identification should consider the maker’s mark, packaging, certificate, ceramic characteristics, and provenance together.

For restored ceramics, an important distinction exists between the maker of the original vessel and the artisan responsible for later repair. Documentation of the restoration should be preserved separately when possible.

Recognition & Achievements

Xu Rubao’s recognized status as a Yanping District representative inheritor of Chayang kiln-making techniques connects him with the preservation of a historic ceramic tradition.

Published biographical material also records his participation in ceramic exhibitions and recognition for contemporary Jian ware craftsmanship in 2018.

His activities encompass ceramic production, the study of antique vessels, traditional firing, and restoration-related work appreciated by tea ware collectors.