Glory of Gilt

Chaozhou， a city in Guangdong Province， south China， is known as one of the birthplaces of the Chinese tea ceremony. It is famed for an ancient art as well. Its delicate woodcarving， which originated in the Tang Dynasty （618-907）， is a masterly skill that was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

Chaozhou woodcarving has been used to decorate buildings， furniture and articles for religious rites， characterized by the use of vibrant gold， red， blue and green paints. It is also known as gilt wood for the use of lacquer and gold foil to add a lustrous golden fi nish.

The National Museum of China， in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration and Guangdong Museum， recently held an exhibition of Chaozhou woodcarving， displaying items from the Ming and Qing dynasties （1368-1911） as well as the works of contemporary Chaozhou woodcarving masters. The nearly 160 artifacts also reflected the distinct local landscape and culture.