New ways forward

Now the young entrepreneur is dedicating herself to building brands as she knows that her production lines cannot churn out as much as the companies in Dehua, Fujian province, and Chaozhou, Guangdong province. The two places have a pile-it-high-and-sell-it-cheap strategy.

"I don't want to be an original equipment manufacturer. Instead, I want to sell our brands overseas," she said.

Lyu described herself as a well balanced person who is calm and reasonable and shows good judgment.

"I hope that products of intangible cultural heritage can be salable rather than merely a symbol. In so doing, people can understand what the charm of intangible cultural heritage is," Lyu said.

Lyu, also a designated inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Jingdezhen, is ambitious to make ceramics that could be handed down from generation to generation.

"I am grateful to my father who has created such a wonderful company," she said.

Her company has four brands; one started by her father and the other three by her. She is pouring a lot of effort into developing products such as coffee and tea sets, jardinieres and copies of antique porcelain.

In Lyu's words, the spirit of artisans means their craftsmanship and pursuit of excellence.

Lyu received offers for graduate study from four foreign universities after her undergraduate education in the UK. When asked whether she regrets not undertaking graduate studies, Lyu said she had no choice but inherit the family business.

" Now I am having a great life, and I have no regrets," she said.