Lacquer
The use of this distinctly Chinese material can be traced back to the Neolithic period
(c. 5000-3000 BC). The sap of the lac or sumac tree was distilled to form a natural
polymer, then applied to woven baskets and containers to make them water- and
insect-resistant. Natural pigments, such as red cinnabar and black carbon, created
vermilion and black designs.
From the Eastern Zhou (770-221 BC) and Han (206 BC- AD 220) Dynasties,
decorative lacquer became increasingly popular and was praised for its power to
protect and preserve. The humid climate of southern and western regions of China
was ideally suited to lacquer crafting, preventing the material from drying out or
cracking. Layers of lacquer would be applied, sometimes in their hundreds, onto a
wooden or cloth base, each coat taking weeks to properly harden and dry. The long
process of production was divided between a number of craftworkers, each working
simultaneously on numerous pieces, and represents a fine example of massproduction
in early China.
Inlay techniques used in the manufacture of bronzes were transferred to lacquer
making, incorporating materials such as silver, gold or mother-of-pearl from the
Near East. Refined carving techniques depicted increasingly detailed scenes. The
ongoing development of lacquer arts brought increasingly complex designs rendered
in deep relief.