Yangzhou lacquerware

Yangzhou lacquerware

Yangzhou lacquerware is a protected geographical indication product.

Yangzhou lacquerware is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Yangzhou lacquerware has a long production history. As early as over two thousand years ago during the Han Dynasty, it enjoyed great renown across the country. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the craftsmanship of Yangzhou lacquerware became particularly refined, and metal inlay products gradually increased. The Ming and Qing dynasties marked the heyday of Yangzhou lacquerware. In addition to colored painting and carved lacquer, new techniques such as flat-ground mother-of-pearl inlay, bone and stone inlay, and multi-treasure inlay also developed. Traditional Yangzhou lacquerware is made on the basis of fine lacquering, using 800 kinds of precious materials such as jadeite, agate, coral, jasper, white jade, ivory, rosewood, mica, night-shining snail shell, as well as gold and silver. Lacquerware decorations often replicate calligraphy and paintings by famous artists such as the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou," further enhancing the artistic and appreciative value of Yangzhou lacquerware.

　　Lacquerware was an important tribute from Yangzhou under the Two Huai Salt Administration. Taking the Qing imperial archives as examples — the "tribute lists" from the Two Huai Salt Administration in the 15th year (1750), 36th year (1771), and 54th year (1789) of Emperor Qianlong’s reign — the types of lacquerware presented by Yangzhou to the Qing court included various craftsmanship pieces such as rosewood-style lacquerware, mother-of-pearl inlay, carved lacquer, colored lacquer, filled lacquer, foreign-style lacquer, and gilded designs. Products ranged from large items like imperial desks, thrones, beds, cabinets, incense tables, and screens, to small ones such as boxes, fans, jars, bowls, plates, and utensils. Their inner structural materials included precious woods like rosewood, pearwood, mahogany, and boxwood.

　　After the Opium War, the Yangzhou lacquerware industry gradually declined. Premium lacquerware such as point-inlay mother-of-pearl, lacquer sand inkstones, and hard inlays of rosewood and snail shell were lost one after another. From the Tongzhi to the Guangxu era, lacquerware production saw a slight recovery. Main lacquerware products included carved lacquer, mother-of-pearl inlay, traditional styles, carved lacquer painting, and knife-scraped lacquer. Small items included letter boxes, flower pots, display plaques, and stationery tools. Shallow carving was popular for a time, with products such as hat stands, brush pots, and inkstone cases. Deep-carved wall hangings often featured themes from the paintings of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou," with sprinkled mother-of-pearl powder as background or watercolor washes, smoke-treated for an antique look, and were mainly for domestic sales.

　　After liberation, Yangzhou lacquerware gradually developed. In 1953, the Ministry of Culture and the China Artists Association were responsible for organizing the National Folk Arts and Crafts Exhibition. They purchased shallow-carved and flat-ground mother-of-pearl lacquerware trays and boxes, as well as flat-ground mother-of-pearl, bone and stone inlay, carved lacquer, inlaid jade lacquerware screens, lacquer cabinets, and other arts and crafts from original workshops such as Liang Fusheng, Liang Defu, Qian Zhongchun, and Sun Zhuchen. These items were then sent to the first Jiangsu Provincial Folk Arts and Crafts Exhibition, the East China Folk Arts and Crafts Observation Conference, and the National Folk Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Since then, the craft of Yangzhou lacquerware has shone brightly once again.

　　Yangzhou lacquerware features a rich variety, exquisite craftsmanship, gorgeous and elegant colors, and dignified yet classic shapes. It closely integrates appreciation and practicality, showcasing distinct regional characteristics. Based on shape and use, Yangzhou lacquerware is divided into three main categories: screens, furniture, and miscellaneous items, with screens and furniture being the primary focus — accounting for over 80% of total lacquerware production. By decoration technique, it is classified into ten categories, especially excelling in three major types: carved lacquer inlaid with jade, flat-ground mother-of-pearl inlay, and point-inlay mother-of-pearl, which rank at the top nationally and are renowned both domestically and internationally. Yangzhou lacquerware produces numerous masterpieces that have won awards both in China and abroad, and have been selected as gifts for state leaders during their overseas visits.