[Video/Ningbo Evening News] 

A Yue celadon exhibition from Ningbo opened at the Couven Museum in Aachen on June 19, marking 40 years of sister-city relations between the Chinese port city and the German cultural hub.

The exhibition showcases contemporary ceramic works that reinterpret one of China's oldest kiln traditions through a modern artistic lens. Created by master ceramist Shi Zhen, a national inheritor of the Yue celadon craft, the collection spans four thematic series that blend historical reference with contemporary design, from imperial-style celadon forms to motifs inspired by traditional auspicious imagery.

Rather than presenting the works as mere historical artifacts, the exhibition presents celadon as a living material language — one that continues to evolve through craftsmanship, design innovation, and everyday cultural use.

Ningbo, historically a key gateway of the Maritime Silk Road, has long played a role in the global circulation of Chinese ceramics. Aachen, known for its medieval heritage and UNESCO-listed cathedral, provides a symbolic European setting for this exchange of artistic traditions.

On opening night, the museum drew strong visitor interest, with audiences engaging closely with the works and commenting on the subtle textures and luminous glaze of the celadon pieces. Many described the exhibition as an encounter with a form of beauty that transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries.

The exhibition will run until Aug 30 as part of a broader cultural exchange program between the two cities.