Traditional manufacturing technology of Zhaoyuan gold and silver ware

Filament inlay is a process of weaving and inlay with gold, silver and various materials. Among them, the most magical thing is to draw gold and silver into silk, then weave them into various patterns, then make gold foil and silver foil into utensils, carve patterns and decorate them with precious stones.

The complexity of the craft is amazing, and it also laments the superb craftsmanship of the ancients. In addition, this filigree mosaic technology is often combined with stippling technology, and the turquoise feathers of kingfisher are pasted on gold and silver products, which makes the crafts lifelike, more superb and more magical. Although filigree inlay appears as an ornament most of the time, even if it is only a small handicraft, filigree inlay can perfectly present the beauty and luxury of works of art. In the Qing dynasty, in order to show status and wealth, many works of art in the Qing court were decorated with gold wire.

As a craftsman, in order to show the ultimate beauty and luxury of raw materials, the skill of filigree inlay is usually used. Filament inlay has a history of thousands of years. Filament inlay has existed since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. With the development of the times, filigree inlay can be seen on many handicrafts. The gold and silver raw materials in the filigree mosaic process can be folded and changed at will like silk after repeated beating and extrusion. The wire drawing used for filigree inlay usually takes more than a dozen times to get the desired filament through a hole smaller than the hair, which shows the complexity and exquisiteness of the process. But it is precisely because of the skill of filigree inlay that we can see so many works of art with exquisite patterns. In ancient times, many emperors and senior officials could find works of art made of filigree inlay, and most of the works of filigree inlay were symbols of rights.