Jingdezhen (), or the Town of Jingde, is a prefecture-level city, previously a town, in Jiangxi Province, China, has been termed the "Porcelain Capital" (瓷都) because of its production of quality china. It has a 1700-year-old history of china production.

Although it is officially a city now, it is almost always still referred to as a town.

History

Jingde Town (景德鎮) was originally Changnan Town (昌南鎮) and renamed in Southern Song Dynasty after an emperor's era name, during whose ruling period when its production was most recognized.

In the 19th century, Jingde Town became a county (Jingde County). Under the People's Republic of China, it became a provincial city (county-level), whose name incoperates the entire word of "Jingde Town": Jingdezhen City (景德镇市). Usually when a town is upgraded to a city, it losses "Town" and have in its place "City" (it would be "Jingde City" in this case). The retaining of "Town" is mainly for ease of recognizing its famous history.

Subdivision

Jingde Town City governs four areas:

• Changjiang District (昌江区)
• Zhushan District (珠山区)
• Leping City (乐平市): a smaller city
• Fuliang County (浮梁县)

Jingde Town had been under the Fuliang County (浮梁縣) in most of the dynastic history (and completely so when it was Changnan Town). But now the administration hierarchy is inversed, with Fuliang County being under the Jingde Town City.

Geography

Jingde is in northeastern Jiangxi and neighbours Anhui. Its area is 5,246 km� with a population of 1,499,200. The highest point is 1,618-metre, with plains on the southern part with the average height of 200 metres.

It produces kaolinite, coal, manganese, and lime.

External link

• Official site