Craftsmen of ZINITANG

I n South China, Shifu is a title of respect normally for masters and mentors in a certain
profession who have made painstaking efforts for dozens of years to hone their skills.
These Shifus learn from folk arts humbly, without the slightest doubt about the ever-lasting
vitality of traditional skills.
Among them are Zeng Li and Zeng Peng, brothers who grew up in Shiwan, the town of
ceramics in China. Nourished by and bound up with the ancient pottery-making region, they
have in turn produced a new generation of classical Shiwan pottery works rich in humanity.
Although the two neither follow industrial trends blindly nor confine themselves to art circles,
their products can meet the market needs with great ease. Comfortable with their work and
life, they enjoy the pleasure of work done by hand with time flowing gently by, and contribute
their inspiring practices to university teaching. Within them, one can find a traditional Chinese
scholar, an artist, a designer and a folk art craftsman. Their lifestyle, which features the
balance of life and morality, equips them with a carefree temperament.
The refinery, with a history of 58 years since its establishment in 1953, is the state-owned
enterprise built by China independently since 1949 which owned the first automated sugarpressing
line in the country, and one of the first state-owned large enterprises in Panyu. Since
2013, the factory is renamed as ZINITANG by some private companies, investors that attempt
to bring it new vitality and more space for imagination and utilization.
Led by ceramist Zeng Peng, ZINITANG consists of entrepreneurs, university professors,
artists and designers from different fields. Based on the ZINITANG Zone, the team aims to
combine traditional aesthetics with modern design concepts, space installation with upgraded
technology, and Lingnan culture publicity with modern aesthetics in daily life. Team members
make coordinated efforts on planning, renovation and maintenance. Abandoned materials and
facilities here are modified, after design, into artworks, creating a unique landscape for the
zone. All these artworks, in perfect harmony with space and ecology here, become an integral
part of the zone.