"It takes the experience of a painter to get the right colors, because changes in color usually occur after the furnace procedure," Li says. "The painters must have a clear idea of what they paint beforehand, as no white color is employed and he must leave out the white areas."

Since the 1990s, porcelain painting almost faded away from local people's life due to the fast development of photography and computer technologies.

In recent years, local government's support and craft's inheritors' innovation rejuvenated porcelain painting as a special modern art form, though its role as a pragmatic folk craft is outdated.

Modern day artists have not only broken the content limits and brought in diverse themes, but also combined the craft with artistic and daily porcelains to satisfy the public's needs.

In recent years, works by master porcelain painters such as Feng Jie often sell several million yuan at auctions. The artworks are also favored by international collectors.

The Research Center of Nanchang Porcelain Painting of the museum has made efforts to collect and promote the art through different measures, according to Xin Ying, the center director. "We are looking for true inheritors for the traditional culture," Xin says.

The center has established a long-term training program to cultivate professional porcelain painters. It has trained more than 40 painters since 2011, and many of the graduates have joined the center's several porcelain painting studios that focus on different categories.

Yu Ronghua, 33, one of the former trainees, has become a professional painter at the center after finishing the program and has now tutored three students himself.

"It takes about three years of training to become a qualified porcelain painter. It's hard as we don't have incomes during the time. But most of us have persevered," Yu says.

Besides, the center has carried out cooperation with a number of local primary schools to promote the art among the younger generation. Artists from the center will teach classes for students who are interested in the craft, Xin adds

liuxiangrui@chinadaily.com.cn