Guangzhou gifts exquisite vase to Costa Rica

The opening ceremony of the China-Costa Rica Trip and the Sino-Costa Rica Friendship variety show kicked off on July 5 at the Costa Rica National Theatre.

It was jointly held by the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese embassy in Costa Rica and the Costa Rica China Friendship Association.

During the events, an exquisite Guangcai ceramic vase was presented to the Costa Rica National Theatre to promote cultural exchange and friendship between the two countries.

The vase was crafted by Tan Guanghui, a Guangzhou-based national intangible cultural heritage inheritor. Fifty-two centimeters in height, it depicts a hundred colorful chrysanthemums blooming against a bright blue background.

Tan said that the vase was made by a series of production procedures, such as drawing, color filling, washing and dyeing. The entire work, featuring sharp colors, reflects a typical Guangcai ceramics style.

Guangcai ceramics, one of China's exporting ceramics, were once treasures in Westerners' eyes. After hundreds of years' vicissitudes, it is making a comeback by emphasizing quality rather than large production quantities.

Tan was also excited that the vase had been chosen as a present for state diplomacy.

"I believe the choosing of it as a state diplomacy related to the profound Lingnan characteristics in Guangcai ceramics. Traditional craftsmen, especially the younger ones, should have cultural confidence and make quality goods with a full heart to show the world the beauty of Guangcai ceramics as well as traditional Chinese culture."