History of Lacquer Carving

Lacquer line carving originated in Quanzhou, Fujian. It is an ancient traditional folk craft in southern Fujian, named after decorating sculptures with lacquer lines. This craft is also called makeup Buddha among the people, because it was originally made of gold foil, painting and lacquer thread.

The appearance of lacquer line carving was largely influenced by line carving techniques such as powder dipping and mud line carving in Song and Yuan Dynasties, and gradually formed in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the technical level further developed and the production basically took shape.

In the middle of Qing Dynasty, lacquer line carving techniques became more mature, and thick and thin lines were used flexibly. At the same time, the three-dimensional production method of overlapping paint lines and the gold-plated color matching are adopted, so that the works are carved in gold.

From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, social unrest, lacquer line carving and other folk crafts once declined, and few masterpieces were passed down from generation to generation. After the founding of New China, lacquer line carving gradually recovered, and some artists began to gradually develop and innovate lacquer line carving, which increased the variety of lacquer line carving techniques and enriched the technology. Today, it has become a treasure of Chinese lacquer culture.

Recent situation of lacquer line carving;

In the late Qing Dynasty, the society was in turmoil and wars were frequent, and the lacquer line carving technology began to decline. No matter the craft level or the quality of lacquer line carving, it could not be compared with the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Folk crafts such as lacquer line carving once declined, and few good works were passed down from generation to generation.

1947, Cai Wenpei, the 11th descendant of Cai Qi Diao, moved Xizhuxuan, a century-old Qi Diao, to the port city of Xiamen in order to seek more overseas business opportunities, and developed two mainstream categories: Quanzhou Qi Diao and Xiamen Qi Diao. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, people became poor and their thinking changed. Faced with the danger of lacquer line carving, some artists began to gradually develop and innovate lacquer line carving.

1963, Cai Wenpei, the eleventh descendant of Cai's lacquered line carving, broke the past rule that lacquered line carving was passed on only to men and not to women, recruited students and publicized heirloom skills.

Son Cai Shuishui is a master of arts and crafts, and his artistic vision is broader. 1972, the lacquer line carving pattern was made into an independent decorative art, which soon became the mainstream product of modern lacquer line carving and gained huge profits.

In addition, some schools are also introducing lacquer line carving into the classroom, so that students can understand traditional culture and better inherit folk memories. Today, the variety of lacquer line carving technology is increasing and the technology is constantly enriched, which has become an artistic treasure in the treasure house of Chinese lacquer art culture. It can not only be used as an ornament in daily life and a gift to relatives and friends, but also exported overseas and all over the world.

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