Lacquer (漆) art is a form of traditional art in China. It uses lacquer to paint on the surface of wares (器皿) or artwork. Lacquer comes from lacquer trees as a natural liquid. When you use lacquer for painting, it can stop wares from going bad. It can also resist high temperatures. If you heat the lacquer and add colors, it becomes colorful. Lacquer ware looks nice and it is also useful.
China was the first country to use lacquer. People started using it around 4,200 years ago in the Xia Dynasty. By the Han Dynasty, lacquer ware became part of everyday life. In ancient times, there were many lacquer trees in China. The famous thinker Zhuang Zi took care of a lacquer tree garden during the Warring States period.
Early lacquer ware was simple. It was made from wood or bamboo and painted with lacquer. Over time, new techniques like colored patterns and gold decorations appeared. Different dynasties had their own styles of lacquer ware. In the Han Dynasty, popular lacquer items included boxes, plants, earrings, and masks. They were mostly red and black. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, lacquer ware making reached a new high. Lacquer techniques mixed with building and furniture making, focusing more on looks.
Today, the main places for making lacquer ware are Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Pingyao in Shanxi Province, Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, Dafang in Guizhou Province, Tianshui in Gansu Province, Yichun in Jiangxi Province, and Fengxiang in Shaanxi Province.
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