Fine carved lacquer ware to beautify your room

Carved lacquer is a traditional form of Chinese art that has existed for at least 1,400 years. If you have a chance to visit the famous ancient culture street in Beijing – called Liulichang – be sure to visit this shop. You will find a number of handmade decorations.

I went there last week. A lot of carved lacquer plates, vases, and jewelry boxes are displayed orderly on the shelves. Most of them feature a black background and a red, elevated pattern. The patterns show birds and flowers, dragons and phoenixes, landscapes, and characters.

The shopkeeper, Mr. Zhu, told me the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties cared for carved lacquer very much. At that time, some royal lacquer ware workshops were set up. Their products were used exclusively by the royal family.

Want to know how a piece of carved lacquer ware is made? Take a carved lacquer plate for example, which has tens or hundreds of layers of paint on a thin plate. When it is half dry, artists engrave various patterns in the thick paint. Once the paint is completely dry, the color will never fade.

I couldn’t help picking up a carved lacquer plate. It features a vivid picture of the Great Wall. I touch the pattern, and it felt very hard. The plate can be mounted on a wooden stand, and be displayed on your shelf.

What I appreciated

Fine carved lacquer ware, excellent craftsmanship

What customers appreciate

Traditional Chinese artwork, good decorations