Contributions to Miaoli
The Impact of The International Chawan Festival on Miaoli
The International Chawan Festival serves as a premier global platform, uniting ceramic artists from over 20 nations in Miaoli. This prestigious international exchange not only elevates Miaoli’s global visibility but also provides Taiwanese artists with a vital bridge to the international art community.
As a major economic driver, the festival stimulates regional tourism, hospitality, and agricultural sectors through diverse programming, such as weekend markets and elegant tea service pavilions. By providing a critical exhibition stage for local artists amidst the challenges of industrialization, the event effectively solidifies the foundation for Miaoli’s cultural and creative industries, ensuring the sustainable evolution of its unique heritage.
On the left is Teacher Deng Shu-hui, and in the middle is Professor Chen Yu-Ting.
photo by our team
On the right is Teacher Wu.
photo by our team
On the right is Teacher Lin Jui-Hwa.
photo by our team
Photos from the interview.
photo by our team
The International Chawan Festival and Miaoli's collaboration
Beyond its economic contributions,the International Chawan Festival serves as a vital platform for cultural succession among Miaoli’s youth. By encouraging the integration of contemporary art, music, and floral design with traditional crafts, the festival fosters a unique fusion of heritage and innovation.
The event provides emerging artists with essential global exposure and networking opportunities with industry veterans. Furthermore, through weekend markets and professional workshops, the festival offers a commercial and educational springboard for young entrepreneurs and artisans. Participants gain not only technical skills in tea and ceramic arts but also the professional foundations required to pursue careers as modern cultural practitioners.
A key driving force behind The International Chawan Festival
Teacher Lin Jui-Hwa
Lin Jui-Hwa is a distinguished ceramic artist who achieved a Guinness World Record in 2016 for reaching 1,563°C in a wood-fired kiln—the highest temperature ever recorded. Growing up in the traditional ceramic industry, he mastered essential skills in wheel-throwing and snake kiln operation.
Lin is a prominent advocate for "Eco-Friendly Wood-Firing," a philosophy that challenges environmental stereotypes by demonstrating how extreme temperatures produce natural, gemstone-like glazes without synthetic additives. Recognized as a "Taiwan Craft House" artist in 2012, he and his wife, Teng Shu-hui, meticulously manage the Zhunan Snake Kiln. Their dedication has preserved this Miaoli County historical building as one of Taiwan’s few remaining fully operational traditional kilns.
Professor Chen Yu-Ting
Professor Chen Yu-Ting is a distinguished leader in tea culture, serving as the founder of the Grand View Humanistic Tea Art Academy and a faculty member at National Chung Hsing University. She is dedicated to integrating traditional tea arts into modern lifestyle esthetics, emphasizing a multi-dimensional approach that incorporates floral art, music, and craftsmanship.
As a leading proponent of the "The International Chawan Festival," Professor Chen champions the philosophy of "One is All." Her teaching focuses on the ritualistic precision of warming, positioning, pouring, and serving to appreciate the functional beauty of tea ware. Through her core methodology—Refining Technique, Flavor, and Mind—she cultivates professional tea masters who embody the spiritual harmony between the heart and the hand.
Teacher Deng Shu-Hui
Deng Shu-Hui is a prominent scholar whose work, The Traditional Kilns of Miaoli, earned the prestigious Golden Tripod Award. Her extensive research focuses on the historical evolution of Taiwan’s ceramics, including the cultural significance of Miaoli’s wine jars and traditional wood-firing techniques.
As a ceramic artist, she is renowned for her feline-themed creations, which she uses as a medium for emotional expression and spiritual reflection. In partnership with her husband, Lin Rui-hua, she manages the Zhunan Snake Kiln, where she remains dedicated to the meticulous preservation and transmission of traditional wood-firing heritage.
