Stoke on Trent (abbreviated as Stoke) is a small town in England with a population of less than 300000. The rows of Victorian style buildings in the city center are very "British", and the most commonly mentioned "scenery" here is the "blue willow pattern" painted on porcelain. Walking casually into a charity shop on the street, it is easy to find a few porcelain plates or vases with blue and white patterns such as willow trees, bridges, towers, boats, birds, etc., and a strong Western style "Chinese style" - this is Stoke's most famous specialty "Blue Willow Pattern" porcelain. On November 22nd, people visited the Spode Ceramic Museum in Stoke on Trent, UK. As a ceramic hub, Stoke played an important role in the British Industrial Revolution. The blue willow patterned porcelain produced here has been popular in the West for over 200 years, and its inspiration comes from the famous blue and white patterns of export porcelain from Jingdezhen, China. Professor Hou Tiejun, curator from Jingdezhen Ceramic University in China, commented on the British blue willow patterned porcelain as follows: 'It is not purely Chinese or completely British, but a product of cultural exchange and mutual learning.'. Professor Neil Bransworth from Staffordshire University in the UK said that in Stoke, almost every household has a set of porcelain with blue willow patterns. For us, blue willow patterned porcelain exists naturally like air. The fate of Stoke and Jingdezhen, two porcelain capitals separated by thousands of miles, has unexpectedly gone through a similar arc in the past few decades: glory, decline, and revival, which makes the reunion of the two cities today particularly meaningful. During the glorious period of Stoke, representative works of British porcelain such as Spode and Wedgwood were created. However, by the 1990s, the city seemed to be covered in porcelain dust, becoming dull and lifeless - as handicrafts continued to decline, skilled local workers found that their decades long skills had lost their market. Stoker resident Su, who is in his sixties, volunteers at the Spode Ceramic Museum. She told reporters that her stepfather used to work at the Spode factory, and her ancestors also worked at other ceramic factories. Nowadays, some of those old factories have been turned into museums, while others are simply vacant. Su believes that "this is related to the constantly changing tastes and consumption trends of consumers. If you can't keep up with the times, you can only fall behind." Jingdezhen also encountered difficulties during the same period. Hou Tiejun said that at that time, the municipal government reconsidered the positioning of the ceramic industry and ultimately chose the path of heritage protection, craftsmanship inheritance, and cultural creativity. Nowadays, creative districts represented by Taoxichuan are redefining the modern meaning of the "Millennium Porcelain Capital". When Bronsworth visited Jingdezhen in 2023, he was surprised to find that "more young people are interested in ceramics, and this enthusiasm is exactly what Stoke currently lacks." This was the scene of the "Tradition and Continuation - International Ceramic Symposium" filmed on November 22 in Stoke on Trent, UK. Xinhua News Agency reporter Zheng Bofei's photo shows that the people of Stoke can clearly feel that sense of melancholy. Yvonne stood in the exhibition hall of the Spode Ceramics Museum and sighed, "People's attitudes towards porcelain are no longer limited to collection. More and more people will directly choose cheap factory products." Joan, who was standing beside, also added, "We still cherish the craftsmanship of those old kilns, but now these fine objects are difficult to recreate. Occasionally, we can only buy donated old Wickwood bone china from charity shops on the street." This attachment to old objects is not only due to nostalgia for craftsmanship, but also a desire to continue the common memory of the city. Yvonne said, 'Everyone in Stoke knows to some extent the former painters, gold engravers, and craftsmen. After the factory closed, their skills were scattered throughout the city.' Perhaps it is because of this similar experience that communication between Jingdezhen and Stoke became increasingly smooth. Steve Watkins, Honorary Mayor of Stoke, expressed at the "Tradition and Continuation - International Ceramic Symposium" held on the 22nd that he hopes Stoke and Jingdezhen can continue to promote their reputation as ceramic capitals of the two countries, and pass on these precious skills to the next generation through cultural exchanges and academic cooperation. Tim Jenkins, advisor to Stoke City Hall, emphasized that the most valuable lesson for Stoke on the road to Jingdezhen's revival is to put handicrafts and creativity back at the center of the city. One important reason why Jingdezhen has regained vitality is to embed creativity, craftsmanship, and the practices of young people into the core of urban planning. In Jenkins' view, the future of the ceramic industry not only relies on the development of large manufacturing enterprises, but also provides ample space for young craftsmen to "dare to try, dare to fail, and constantly grow". The story of Blue Willow Pattern is far from over. The patterns created by British craftsmen in the 18th century using Chinese patterns witnessed the rise and fall of the ceramic industries in both countries, and found new significance in today's cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and Britain. (New Society)