Pingyao Hand-Polished Lacquerware

PINGYAO hand-polished lacquerwarehas been widelyconsidered as one of the fourmost famed lacquerware typesin China. It originated more than 2，000years ago in what is called PingyaoCounty today， in Jinzhong City， centralChinas Shanxi Province. Its fame isdue to the exquisite and unique skillof polishing lacquered coating withbare hands during the manufacturingprocess. This quaint and durablelacquerware boasts both aesthetic andpractical values， and is characterized byits distinguished appearance and glossysheen. It comes in the forms of jewelryboxes， utensils and stationery， screensand furniture.

Pingyao hand-polished lacquerwaregained fame during the Tang Dynasty（618-907） and reached its peak in theMing （1368-1644） and Qing （1644-1911）dynasties during which it was takenacross China by Shanxi merchantswhose businesses were expandingrapidly. In 2006， the technique used toproduce Pingyao hand-polished lacquerware was included on the list of national intangible heritage items.

Its complex production processinvolves steps such as making a woodframework， applying plaster， lacquering，painting， and inlaying. First， a basicstructure made of basswood is created.This is followed by wrapping the framein multiple layers of hemp cloth and applyingplaster to the exterior. After that，the designer begins to apply several layersof lacquer. When the varnish dries，it is polished with different tools. Thencomes the most important step — polishingthe lacquered coating with barehands. The strength applied and eventhe temperature directly affect the lusterof the finish. During the final step， elaboratemotifs and patterns are painted andglittering embellishments inlaid.

Pingyaos lacquer objects use finenatural materials： natural pigments areused to paint various patterns， and arange of materials are used for decorationincluding gold and silver sheets，gold and silver powders， mother-ofpearl，bones， and stones. Lacquer is the essence of this craft. Pingyao artistsuse the sap of a species of lacquer treesthat grow widely on the Loess Plateauto make lacquer because it has theadvantages of being moisture-proof，durable， and having an attractive luster.The selection of lacquer， the proportionof ingredients， and the drying time allrequire expertise and experience.

Today， Pingyao hand-polished lacquerwareincorporates contemporaryelements to meet the taste and needs ofthe current era， coming out with variedand interesting implementations suchas exquisite bookmarks， small earrings，bracelets， pendants， and cosmetic facialmask boxes， which are popular withcustomers. In recent years， PingyaoCounty has hosted art festivals and establishedassociations centering aroundPingyao hand-polished lacquerware.At the same time， Pingyao lacquerwaremasters set up studios to train apprenticesand pass on their skills. Lacquerwareclasses have been opened in someschools， giving this traditional craft anew lease on life.