Colored glaze craftswoman Liu Wenting teaches students at a vocational middle school in Jiexiu, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Jiexiu of Jinzhong, Shanxi province, known as the "hometown of colored glaze" in China, is one of the birthplaces of colored glaze for traditional Chinese architecture.

Colored glazed tiles were frequently used to decorate ancient Chinese palaces, temples and pagodas. Making the unique blue, yellow and green glazed artworks includes more than 20 steps, including clay refinement, blank shaping, glaze application and firing.

The use of glazed tiles in Jiexiu's architecture has a long history dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the firing techniques peaked in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

In 2008, the Jiexiu colored glaze firing technique was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage, helping the form to be passed down and revitalized.

Colored glaze craftsman Liu Kaibao creates a colored glaze artwork in Jiexiu, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Colored glaze craftsman Liu Kaibao teaches about colored glaze skills and inheritance. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The colored glaze relics of various dynasties shine under lights at a museum in Jiexiu, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]