JIU DUAN SHAO: The three renowned kilns in Jingdezhen 九段烧: 景德镇的三大名窑

Jiu Duan Shao is one of the three renowned kiln brands in the Jingdezhen tea ware industry, alongside “Chun Feng Xiang Yu” and“ Xiao Ya”. Initially known as "Duan Yao," it was renamed "Jiu Duan Shao" after a Japanese merchant praised its quality as comparable to the highest level in the game of Go, known as nine-dan. Although Jiu Duan Shao shares a similar history of development with the other two brands, having been established just two to three decades ago, it entered the tea ware market more than a decade later. As a newcomer, Jiu Duan Shao’s ability to stand out in a fiercely competitive environment and even surpass the popularity of the other two major brands was truly impressive.

However, this success was not to last. In 2018, the founder, Duan Zhenmin, passed away due to illness, leaving the brand to face external criticism and numerous controversies without its leader.

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I: Rise and Crisis

Duan Zhenmin was a unique figure among Jingdezhen kiln owners, coming from a background in marketing and sales rather than ceramic making. Most kiln owners focus their efforts on ceramic craftsmanship and are often unfamiliar with market dynamics. In contrast, Duan Zhenmin possessed a sharp market insight. By the early 1990s, he was already the head of the marketing department at Jingdezhen Arts and Crafts Company. He chose a different path in 1993 by seeking business opportunities rather than merely focusing on production, which led to securing ceramic orders worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from Japan, even before his production team was fully established.

As the quality of Duan Yao’s products gained international recognition, its fame grew. However, the global financial crisis of the 1990s caused its domestic market to shrink. In response, Duan Zhenmin shifted his focus to domestic sales. He identified a significant gap in the market for ceramic jewelry and boldly entered this field, achieving considerable sales success. Unfortunately, the low barriers to entry for this category resulted in an influx of competitors, causing Jiu Duan Shao’s sales to decline.

As the initial enthusiasm in the ceramics market faded, Duan Zhenmin began developing bulletproof ceramics, but a severe car accident forced him to pause his work, leading to a near halt in kiln operations.

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II: Unique Vision and Business Strategy

When Duan Zhenmin returned to the market in 2008, he realized that Jiu Duan Shao faced significant challenges and decided to reinvest in tea ware production. The increasingly competitive tea ware market made him aware that innovation was essential for survival. An in-depth market analysis revealed that tea ware designs were highly homogenized and required differentiation. Consequently, he hired numerous talented character painters at high wages to enhance the artistic quality of his products.

Through experimentation and refinement, Jiu Duan Shao launched the “Eighteen LuoHan Cup”, which quickly gained popularity due to its unique expression, establishing the brand’s dominance in the blue-and-white character tea ware segment. Following this, continuous updates and new product launches revitalized Jiu Duan Shao, securing its position as one of the top three tea ware kilns.

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III: Struggles and Challenges

However, Duan Zhenmin’s death has significantly impacted Jiu Duan Shao. In today’s fiercely competitive market, the brand faces challenges with innovation. The high-end tea ware market is gradually abandoning products made from “high-white” clay and glaze, while consumers increasingly prefer rare and exquisite raw materials.

What was once an advantage has now become a distant memory. Despite the beauty of Jiu Duan Shao’s blue-and-white character craftsmanship, a lack of uniqueness and rarity has led to consumer fatigue. Numerous new kilns with distinctive features have emerged in the industry, intensifying competition. To survive, Jiu Duan Shao must rethink its product positioning and innovation strategies to adapt to the new market trends.

Overall, Jiu Duan Shao remains an excellent brand. Its exquisite painting and consistent product quality continue to be synonymous with the brand. However, in order to maintain its industry-leading position among numerous ceramic brands, innovation and brand transformation are issues that cannot be overlooked.