Sat, Oct 20, 2001 page11

• A life in touch with the earth

  The kiln master at Huataoyao has spent 18 years firing people's imaginations about a simpler, more earnest lifestyle

  • By Ian Bartholomew / STAFF REPORTER
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  Living close to nature, finding peace in its natural rhythms and the beauty of trees and wide vistas is a state of mind that has been gaining ground these last few years even in endlessly hectic Taiwan. But few people actually manage to achieve this idyllic state. Chen Wen-hui (陳文輝), an independence activist and former political prisoner of the KMT, has made a good stab at it with his six hectare Huataoyao (華陶窯), where he has sought to create a secluded world of simple beauty where time might almost stands still.

  Respectfully called the "kiln master" (窯主) by his family and staff, he is a powerful presence that is felt through the integrated conception of the place. This conception is reflected in the name Huataoyao, the characters of which mean "flower," "clay," and "kiln."

  Gardens filled with many plants native to Taiwan are a major part of Huataoyao, and the clay used in the pottery is local Miaoli (苗栗) clay, which is known for its density and has long been used by the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau for making wine jars. The architecture mixes Dutch brick work, Japanese tile work, and Chinese concepts of landscape design. It is intended as a microcosm of Taiwan's rich historical tradition.

  

  And then of course there is the kiln, the focus of so much of Huataoyao's life.

  The main terraced kiln (登窯) used at Huataoyao is currently out of commission, a victim of the 921 earthquake in 1999, and potters Chen Yu-ping (陳育平) and Wu Chin-chi (吳金枝) are currently making do with a smaller miniature snake kiln (蛇窯). "We fire the kiln about once a month," Chen said. The small kiln burns for three days and nights, the potters working in shifts to tend it around the clock. "It is one of the few wood-fired kilns still being used," she said, "and it creates results that cannot be imitated by gas or electricity."

  The kiln has formed the center of Huataoyao for nearly 18 years. It stands outside the extensive pottery workshop, where high shelves of clay work stand waiting to be fired. Chen Ching-yang (陳景揚), the son of the kiln master who now does marketing work for the establishment, said that the primary manufactures of Huataoyao are items of daily use, all relatively simple in design. "It is part of the feeling of the place," Chen said. Huataoyao makes all its own pottery implements, and whether you drink a cup of coffee or eat a bowl of rice, you are using a Huataoyao original.

  

  The main step kiln at Huataoyao fires up to 300 items each time it is fired. It burns for up to eight days and must be tended constantly to keep the temperature even.

  PHOTO COURTESY OF HUATAOYAO

  The Huataoyao style, unsurprisingly, is very simple, making use of only one or two glazes and relying on the natural effects of wood ash and the environment of the kiln to produce design elements.

  Taking up an aquamarine teapot with a splash of yellow across one side that recalls the liquid ambers which turn the hillside golden in autumn, guide Liu Chen-ru (劉辰儒) pointed out that you can see how the fire burned. The yellow is created by the wood ash, which dissolves into the glaze at high temperatures.

  "We are still working to create our own style," Chen said, "something that fits the nature concept of Huataoyao, but also something modern."

  

  Over the past 18 years, the Chen family have created a beautiful environment based on the principles of traditional Chinese garden design.

  PHOTO: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES

  Huataoyao employs two senior potters who work using traditional designs and methods, while younger potters are experimenting with more geometrical designs. Huataoyao produces a maximum of around 1,000 works each year.

  Casting around for new ideas to attract people to Huataoyao, Chen Ching-yang said they were now incorporating various activities such as tea appreciation groups. Liu, who is knowledgeable about the abundant plant life, also hosts these gatherings, where people gather at selected locations in Huataoyao's large gardens. This activity will officially begin on Oct. 31.

  Entry to Huataoyao is by pre-arrangement only, a measure that ensures that the surroundings are not overwhelmed by tourists. "It is important that the original inspiration for Huataoyao was not commercial," Chen said.

  

  A worker tends the fires of Huataoyao's smaller snake kiln which is fired once each month. Seven logs placed in the kiln every ten minutes keep the kiln burning at around 1200 degrees Celsius.

  PHOTO: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES

  How well this homely spirit can be preserved in the face of new developments to attract more visitors -- the carefully planned lookout points and tea drinking locations, the pottery displays and pottery classes -- remains to be seen. It has taken the Chen family 18 years to make Huataoyao what it is. The kiln master has never been in a rush. "When we plan a new structure, he puts up a basic framework for a couple of months to see how it fits. If it's good, then work commences. If not, we tear it down and start again," said Chen.

  If anything can keep Huataoyao out of the ranks of second-rate tea houses touting dubious spiritual qualities, it is this.

  Huataoyao is located at 31, Lin 2, 358 Nanshih Ward, Yuanli township, Miaoli (苗栗縣苑裡鎮358南勢里二鄰31號), tel: (037) 743-611 or on the Web at http://htkiln.com.tw

  

  Day tours of the gardens are available for NT$825 on public holidays and NT$675 on other days. A special tea appreciation day will be held on Oct. 31 which will include a specially prepared lunch, special high quality teas and a concert of Taiwanese music for NT$1,200.
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