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Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts abound in the capital city. Of the 48
different kinds manufactured for the tourist market, some of the most
popular are: jade ware, ivory carving, cloisonné, lacquer ware,
filigree work, silk flowers, drawn work, rugs, theater props,
embroidery, gauze lanterns, glassware, clay sculptures, and dough
figurines. Below are descriptions of seven of the major craft forms in
Beijing. Jade ware The art of jade
carving and polishing was already well developed some 3,000 years ago
in the Zhou and Shang dynasties. With its bright and pure luster, jade
has always been considered by the Chinese to be a treasure of
tremendous value. There is a famous story from the Warring States
Period (475-221 BC) that describes the State of Qin’ s offer of 15
cities for a ceremonial jade disk known as the “Bi of the He Clan.”
To create an object from a piece of raw material, the craftsperson
follows these steps: 1) Select the stone (jadeite, coral, agate, or
crystal), taking into consideration size, shape, grain, color and
luster. 2) Design a pattern to be sketched onto the surface. 3) Rub
away the stone with a special tool and diamond paste until the desired
shape emerges. When the design follows the nature of the original
piece, the true image will come to life. 4) Polish the product until
it shines. The Beijing Jade ware Factory, founded in
1958 with only 200 workers, now employs over 2,700. In the past four
decades it has turned out a wide range of exquisite jade objects for
sale around the city. Cloisonne
Historically speaking, the earliest pieces of Chinese cloisonné enamel
were produced almost 600 years ago during the Ming Dynasty. The
braziers, boxes, dishes and vases of the time were generally glazed
Vermilion, pale green and white against a background of peacock blue.
By the Jingtai period, the art had reached its peak; enormous wine
caldrons and copies of copies of ancient bronze vessels, tripods and
kettles were created for the imperial court. Designs of
chrysanthemums, grapes, flying cranes, lions and dragons were added to
the flowers and foliage of the earlier period. In the Qing Dynasty,
larger pieces: screens, tables and chairs, even beds and couches came
to be made from the enamel. The creation of cloisonné
enamel involves inlaying copper strips on copper roughcast and packing
in the spaces with glazed enamel of various colors. The piece is then
baked, polished and gilded. Decorative objects such as vases, boxes,
lamp stands, ashtrays and dishes, as well as jewelry and other
trinkets are popular today. The Beijing Cloisonne Factory, established
in 1958, employs a staff of 2,000 in both the mass production of
consumer items and the creation of personalized art forms.
Ivory Carving Ivory objects dating back to 3,000
years from the Shang Dynasty have been unearthed in China. Beijing,
Shanghai, Guangzhou and Fujian are today the main centers for this art
form. Typical subjects of the Beijing school are flowers and plants,
birds and animals, and human figures. Another Beijing specialty,
minute “rice grain” carvings (of classical poetry, mythical figures or
landscape paintings) are executed on ivory the size of a grain of rice
and visible only when magnified 20 times. Carved
Lacquer ware Chinese carved lacquer ware probably
dates back tot eh Tang Dynasty (618-907). As noted in the Treatise on
Lacquer Decoration by an artisan of the Ming Dynasty, “Tang lacquer
ware was done on smooth boards using a vermilion color…”Special
lacquer ware workshops were set up in the Ming, producing pieces
distinguished for bold, simple lines and rich colors. Qing Dynasty
work, on the other hand, is known for its detailed designs and
elaborate composition. The Jingzhai Workshop,
established in 1901 in Beijing, worked for many years in the Qing
style. Over the past 40 years or so, the craftsmen there have begun to
experiment with deep relief carving, hollowing and three-dimensional
techniques. More than 20 colors are now used, a great change from the
traditional four. A handful of factories in the Beijing area, with a
combined work force of 20,000, produce carved lacquer ware-both
traditional items like jars, boxes writing articles, dishes and
personal adornments, as well as prize-winning artistic creations.
Filigree and Inlaid Work Belt buckles, wine jars
and chariot axles crafted from gold and silver, inlaid with crystal,
white jade and colored glass were already the fashion some 2,000 years
ago in China. By the Ming Dynasty, imperial artisans were turning out
splendid crowns and other filigree-type ornaments for court use. In
the Qing Dynasty, a natural division of labor broke the field into
various specialized trades: engraving, assembling, inlaying,
enameling, gilding, bead-stringing, etc. Work was still carried out,
one trade to the next, in close cooperation, and many exquisite pieces
were produced up through the years of the Opium wars.
Today the Beijing Arts and Crafts Factory is responsible for producing
filigree and inlaid works. Aside from development of the art in the
creation of specialized pieces, the workers have spent most of their
time putting out the following for the tourist market. 1) Personal
ornaments, including all kinds of jewelry, hairpins and cuff links. 2)
Display objects, including small screens, vases, braziers and incense
burners. 3) Daily-use articles, such as mirrors, cigarette boxes,
ashtrays, candy boxes and lamp stands. Silk Flowers
It is said that the art of making flowers goes back to the Sui Dynasty
and by the Tang had already become highly refined. According to the
legend, the favorite concubine of a Tang Dynasty emperor had a small
scar on her left temple. She was able to cover the blemish with fresh
flowers in the warmer months, but when winter came, she had to rely on
the silk and satin flowers fashioned for her by her attendants. By the
end of the dynasty, both court ladies and commoners had adopted the
new silk flower style. In the Ming and Qing, whole
branches of the flowers, potted plants and wreaths were being produces
in silk flower workshops. “Flower Market” in the Chongwen area of
Beijing became known for its annual flower fair, in which women wore
arrangements of twisted silk, dried grass and other bits, crafted with
such detail they could be mistaken for the real ones.
Nowadays these “Beijing Flowers” have evolved into a whole new field;
Bouquets, flower baskets, lanterns and copies of every species
imaginable are created from the traditional materials of silk and
satin as well as gauze, velvet and waterproof cloth.
Baihua (Hundred Flowers) Carpets With a history of
more than 2,000 years, carpet weaving took on new meaning in the Qing
Dynasty when it was determined to lay carpets around the Imperial
Palace. The court summoned lamas from Tibet to teach this skill to its
craftsmen, who then produced carpets with a particularly Chinese bent.
The symmetrical four-corner patterns integrated with a design at
center made use of such common symbols as: the Chinese character for
longevity, peonies, plum blossoms, pine branches, peaches, cranes,
lions, as well as dragons, phoenixes and unicorns.
Numerous carpet factories around Beijing, with a total work force of
5,000, have produced award-winning creations with innovative
techniques, colors and designs. Bold new patterns, based on the
traditional craft, are making a break into the international market. |
