Lacquer Wire Carving

Lacquer wire carving originated in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, is one of the artistic treasures in the cultural treasury of Chinese lacquer art, and is a traditional craft unique to the southern Fujian region.

Since the Tang Dynasty, when colorful sculptures flourished, lacquer wire carving has been used in the decoration of Buddha statues, commonly known as "makeup Buddha", and has long been widely circulated as a special industry. Lacquer wire carving fine and elegant workmanship, realistic and vivid image, simple and solemn style, the picture is lifelike, can be called a wonder of the arts, China's best.

Lacquer wire carving is a traditional folk handicraft with a long history and unique characteristics in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, with a history of more than 1400 years. And it has been passed down in Quanzhou for many years. Quanzhou lacquer wire carving technique was originally one of the decorative processes of Buddha carving technique, which has a history of more than 1,400 years, among which Quanzhou lacquer wire carving is the most famous.

Lacquer thread carving uses fine lacquer threads that are twisted in a special way to create a variety of brilliant figures and animal images, especially traditional folk subjects such as dragons and phoenixes, unicorns, clouds and water, and twining lotus branches. In the past, most of the lacquer carvings were limited to wood, lacquer baskets and theater props.

Craft Characteristics:

The traditional production of lacquer wire carving includes four aspects, including sculpture, foundation, lacquer wire decoration, and makeup gold and color filling. In terms of the creative design of the work, the sculpture is the first; in terms of the special beauty of the art, the technique of lacquer wire decoration is the key. Lacquer thread sculpture with aged brick powder and lacquer, cooked tung oil and other raw materials and blend, after repeated pounding to become soft and rich in toughness of the mud, commonly known as "lacquer thread soil".

Then the lacquer threads are rolled into lacquer threads by hand, and then the lacquer threads are coiled, knotted, wrapped and piled on the lacquer-coated blanks to carve out all kinds of delicate and embossed patterns and shapes, which is unique to Xiamen, and is a major feature of traditional folk art and traditional culture in Xiamen, Fujian Province. This unique technique is unique to Xiamen and is a major feature of traditional folk art and traditional culture in Xiamen, Fujian Province.

Lacquer thread carving uses fine lacquer threads twisted by special production methods to create a variety of brilliant figures and animal figures, especially traditional folk subjects, such as dragons and phoenixes, unicorns, clouds and water, entwined with the lotus, etc. are more. From the lacquer line carving mostly limited to wood, lacquer baskets and theater props, gradually developed to decorate the plate, bottle, stove and other porcelain and glassware, a wide range of, and continue to innovate.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia - Lacquer Thread Carving