Now You Can Choose a Cloisonne Like an Emperor

Cloisonne is one of China’s famous traditional handicrafts. It combines the art of porcelain and copper. Showing off an elegant cloisonné vase on your shelf will make your room more appealing and tasteful. Several days ago, I happened to visit a cloisonné shop in southeast Beijing.

I was immediately attracted to a wide variety of colorful cloisonné vases displayed on the shelves. Before long, the shop owner Mr. Nie came up to me and gave a brief introduction to his products.

Cloisonné became very popular during the reign of Emperor Jingtai (1450 - 1456). At that time, artisans focused on blue, which is pronounced ‘Lan’ in Chinese. So the Chinese call it Jingtai Lan, after the emperor and the color.

In ancient China, cloisonné was only used by the royal family. It could not be made in private workshops or sold in common marketplaces until the late Qing dynasty (1636 - 1912).

Mr. Nie said all of the items in his shop were made in his own factory.

When I asked him which one was the best seller, he passed me a blue and white cloisonné vase. It felt very smooth. The pattern included blue flowers, clouds, and a big dragon.

Besides the large vases, this shop also has smaller items like jewelry.

What I appreciated

Superior workmanship, beautiful colors, cloisonné vases

What customers appreciate

Traditional Chinese handicrafts, fine craftsmanship