The watchman of earthenware in Kashgar

Tursun said there were more than a hundred earthenware workshops during the heyday of the craft. However, no more than five workshops have survived the assaults of modern industry, and earthenware is no longer a necessity for Kashgar's residents.

"Without the government's protection and the development of tourism here, earthenware craftsmanship would probably be lost forever," Tursun said.