Distinguished Ceramic Craftsman ━ He Chaozong

He Chaozong(1504-1582), styled Hechao, assumedly named Helai (Laifu or Laifo), a native of Dehua County of Fujian Province, was a world-famed artist of ceramic statue arts. His works, reputed as "the Unique Treasure in the World", were best sold at home and abroad in the 1600's. The porcelain Goddess of Mercy with different looks, sculptured by Mr. He, was regarded as treasure in Japan and Southeast Asia and praised as the pearl of oriental art by the Europeans.
At an early age, He Chaozong followed his father to sculpt the statue of Buddha in the temple. The statue figure Guanyin Crossing the Sea which was made by He Chaozong is collected in the History Museum of Marine Transportation of Quanzhou City. The color of the glazed surface was of bright, smooth luster, and milky as frozen fat. Coiling hair Guanyin wears a piece of cloth on head long to shoulder. He has chubby check of ellipse, a cunning nose and a cherry mouth with eyes slightly closed. Wearing a long dress with bag-sleeves he arches both arms inside the sleeves. Round shoulders and slim figure under the dress we can tell the elasticity of his skin from the plump shape of the left part of the dress. The lap of his dress is turnup aweather. One foot shows up under the long dress as he stands on the floating lotus flower
with a surge of wave surround it. A poet once sang high praise of the works in his poem, "Unless Guanyin left the South China Sea, Master Helai would expose his real face." People later called the statue of Guanyin made by He Chaozong "Helai Guanyin". Of course, "Helai" became He Chaozong's another name.


He Chaozong, who is no doubt the most famous Dehua artist to the outside world, laid his "Distinguished Ceramic Craftsman" position by his super technique. He was a most expert modeler of ceramic figures, and the statues he made are transmitted and treasured everywhere. His works were designed by the Louvre Museum in France as postcards to publish and used as the front page of the advertisements or the main pattern design relating to Dehua white porcelains around the world. He Chaozong has created the East Venus. His works are recognized and mentioned in many gazetteers such as The Fujian Gazetteer and The Quanzhou Gazetteer.