The Double‑Edged Sword: Drawbacks of Modern Technology in the Research and Development of Yazhou Pottery
Abstract
The integration of modern digital technologies into traditional crafts is widely promoted as a pathway to cultural revitalization and sustainable development, yet such interventions may generate unintended socio-cultural consequences. Focusing on Yazhou pottery, a nationally recognized form of intangible cultural heritage in Guizhou Province, China, this study examines the drawbacks of modern technology in the research and development of traditional ceramic crafts. Using a qualitative design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten stakeholders, including master potters, young practitioners, and design or technology professionals. Interview data were analyzed through grounded theory supported by NVivo, and descriptive counts were retained as minimal quantitative supplements to enhance transparency. Findings show that while computer-aided design, ceramic 3D printing, and AI-assisted design can improve efficiency and expand creative possibilities, they also introduce substantial challenges. Key concerns include high costs and uneven access to equipment, steep learning curves, technical instability in digital fabrication, intergenerational tensions in training and decision-making, and threats to cultural authenticity and handcraft identity. Participants cautioned that reliance on digital templates may encourage standardization and cultural homogenization if not carefully governed. The study concludes that technological integration in Yazhou pottery is a double-edged sword and argues for prudent integration, positioning technology as an assistive rather than substitutive tool guided by community participation, cultural integrity, and sustainable skill transmission. By foregrounding practitioners’ perspectives, this research contributes a practice-based understanding of how heritage crafts can navigate technological change while preserving cultural diversity and human creativity.
Downloads
References
El Agamy AbdelKader, A. (2023). Innovation to sustainability in design. International Journal of Design and Fashion Studies, 6(2), 55-68.https://doi.org/10.21608/ijdfs.2024.276050.1021
Chen, Z., Li, Z., Li, J., Liu, C., Lao, C., Fu, Y., ... & He, Y. (2019). 3D printing of ceramics: A review. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 39(4), 661-687.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2018.11.013
Iftekar, S. F., Aabid, A., Amir, A., & Baig, M. (2023). Advancements and limitations in 3D printing materials and technologies: A critical review. Polymers, 15(11), Article 2519. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15112519
Lin, T., Zhao, Z., Wang, T., & Pan, Y.-T. (2023). Three-dimensional printing of large ceramic products and process simulation. Materials, 16(10), Article 3815. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103815
Ma, S., & Wang, H. (2022). Cultural and creative product design method based on the fusion of 5G technology and traditional metal craftsmanship. Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2022, Article 5634582. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5634582
Maisiri, W., van Dyk, L., & Coetzee, R. (2021). Factors that inhibit sustainable adoption of Industry 4.0 in the South African manufacturing industry. Sustainability, 13(3), Article 1013. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031013
Ly, M., Spinelli, S., Hays, S., & Zhu, D. (2022). 3D printing of ceramic biomaterials. Engineered Regeneration, 3(1), 41-52.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engreg.2022.01.006
Nguyen, N. T. T., Nguyen, P. V., Vrontis, D., & Vo, N. T. T. (2025). Enhancing organizational sustainable performance through green innovation: The roles of knowledge application, government policy, and green market orientation. Journal of Knowledge Management, 29(3), 870–890.https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-06-2024-0688
Prażmowska, K. (2020). Misappropriation of indigenous cultural heritage – Intellectual property rights in the digital era. Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 6(2), 159–180.https://doi.org/10.4467/2450050XSNR.20.013.13016
Skublewska-Paszkowska, M., Milosz, M., Powroznik, P., & Lukasik, E. (2022). 3D technologies for intangible cultural heritage preservation—Literature review for selected databases. Heritage Science, 10(1), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-021-00633-x
Sustainability Directory. (2025, March 8). How does technology affect traditional craft skills and techniques?https://fashion.sustainability-directory.com/question/how-does-technology-affect-traditional-craft-skills-and-techniques/
Tan, S. C., Chan, C., Bielaczyc, K., Ma, L., Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (2021). Knowledge building: Aligning education with needs for knowledge creation in the digital age. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(4), 2243–2266.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09914-x
UNESCO. (2025). Report of the independent expert group on artificial intelligence and culture (CULTAI). UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/sites/default/files/medias/fichiers/2025/09/CULTAI_Report%20of%20the%20Independent%20Expert%20Group%20on%20Artificial%20Intelligence%20and%20Culture%20%28final%20online%20version%29%201.pdf
World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST). (2019). Guidelines for the governance of digital platforms. UNESCO.
Zhang, L. (2021). Modern aesthetic needs under the Yazhou pottery creation art analysis [In Chinese]. Ceramic Science and Art, 55(11), 2.
