Keeping the Kiln

Lin Yan returns to the Qinglan kiln village to sell his family's ancestral kiln. His grandfather, Lin Shouzhuo, sets a condition: he must make a tea bowl with his own hands. Su He urges him to first fire one complete kiln load. From kneading clay, throwing, glazing, and loading the kiln, Lin Yan faces failed shortcuts, cracks in the kiln roof, bulk orders, and a nighttime fire hazard. Gradually he comes to understand that craftsmanship is not about copying old forms, but about upholding the process, judgment, and responsibility. In the end, he postpones the sale, discards the substandard pieces, and continues firing the kiln with his grandfather and A-Qing, keeping the kiln fire alive.