This study presents a novel approach for direct 4D printing of ceramics, combining 3D printing with stimulus-responsive materials to create complex 3D structures that change shape over time in response to environmental stimuli. The method involves the use of a photocurable ceramic elastomer slurry and a hydrogel precursor, which are printed using multimaterial digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. The hydrogel-ceramic laminates are then dehydrated, causing them to bend into complex 3D shapes, which are subsequently transformed into pure ceramics through sintering. A theoretical model was developed to predict the curvature of the bent laminates and the sintered ceramic parts, taking into account the effects of dehydration-induced deformation and sintering-induced shape retraction. This model was integrated with the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to generate a design map that relates bending curvature to structural parameters of the laminate. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of direct 4D printing of various complex ceramic objects, including a ceramic flower, a bauhinia flower, and a scorpion. The results show that the hydrogel dehydration-driven direct 4D printing method enables the efficient and simple manufacturing of complex 3D ceramic objects. The approach opens up new possibilities for the development of ceramic 4D printing technology.This study presents a novel approach for direct 4D printing of ceramics, combining 3D printing with stimulus-responsive materials to create complex 3D structures that change shape over time in response to environmental stimuli. The method involves the use of a photocurable ceramic elastomer slurry and a hydrogel precursor, which are printed using multimaterial digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. The hydrogel-ceramic laminates are then dehydrated, causing them to bend into complex 3D shapes, which are subsequently transformed into pure ceramics through sintering. A theoretical model was developed to predict the curvature of the bent laminates and the sintered ceramic parts, taking into account the effects of dehydration-induced deformation and sintering-induced shape retraction. This model was integrated with the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to generate a design map that relates bending curvature to structural parameters of the laminate. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of direct 4D printing of various complex ceramic objects, including a ceramic flower, a bauhinia flower, and a scorpion. The results show that the hydrogel dehydration-driven direct 4D printing method enables the efficient and simple manufacturing of complex 3D ceramic objects. The approach opens up new possibilities for the development of ceramic 4D printing technology.