Chinese Arts and Crafts

Millions of foreigners, overseas Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots visit China every year on business, for sightseeing or exchanges in the fields of economy, trade, sports, science,a nd culture. Many of them return home loaded with souvenirs. In fact there cannot be many people who could manage to stay in china and not be tempted to do any shopping. China offers a dazzling range of goods from antiques to chopsticks, kites and snuff bottles.

China's arts and crafts are well-known for their long history and uniqueness. the carving of ivory and jade in Beijing and Yangzhou whose raw materials include white jade, jasper, green jade, agate, rose quartz, etc., is characterized by its distinct national style of simplicity, gracefulness and delicate lucidity and noted for human figures such as distinct national style of simplicity, gracefulness and delicate lucidity and noted for human figures such as disciples of Buddha, fairy ladies ,birds ,animals, insects, flowers, incense-burners, etc. Special emphasis is given to moulding, attention to detail, meticulousness in composition and susceptibility to variation.

Cloisonne wares produced from the Beijing Cloisonne Factory enjoy a high reputation at home and abroad and are sold to almost every part of the world. Cloisonne, also called" Copperbody and Wire-inlaid Enamel", was popular as far back as in the years of the reign of Emperor Jingtai of the Ming Dynasty (About 500 years ago).As blue enamel was primarily used, it was termed "Jingtai Blue", The manufacture of cloisonne ware requires an elaborate and complicated process, namely, base-hammering copper-wire curving,soldering,enamel-filling,enamelfiring,polishing,
gilding,etc.they are beautiful and elegant in moulding, splendid and graceful in design and dazzling and brilliant in colours of light blue, dark blue, red, cream, yellow, light grey, green, brown, black, white etc. Varieties available include vases, jars, bowls, paltes, ash-trays, smoking or seasoning sets and so on.

Lacquer ware from Beijing and yangzhou originated in the Han Dynasty and has been handed down and developed from generation to generation. Multifarious in kind and exquisite in workmanship, it is characterized by elegant modelling, beautiful figration and lustrous colour. The complicated manufacturing process includes mould-coating ,lacquer-application, design-traceing, engraving, and burnishing. Copper or other materials are used for making the body in which tens of lacquer are coated,and sometimes as many as two hundred layers, as the case requires. Then on the lacquer layers, attractive motifs are carved against a background of floral designs by artisans'cunning knife,some are inlaid with ivory and precious stones to make beautiful works of art.Some are for practical use-garden stools,screents,chests,jewelery boxes,smoking sets,jars,flower containers,etc.Most of them are red in colour;some go with black,yellow or green lacquer-layers to match.

Porcelain is perhaps the greatest invention of the chinese people.During the new Stone Age 8,000 years ago,the chinese began making earthernware with clay.It first appeared by the shang Dynasty (16th-11th century B.C.)known as "protoporcelain "and matured in the Han Dynasty.The celadon wares from Shaoxing,zhejiang and the white procelain from Neiqiu,hebei were famous throughout the country.Porcelain-making reached its peak during the Ming(1368-1644)and Qing (1644-1911)dynasties.Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province dominated porcelain production and garnered fame as the national center.Its products had a special appeal.Superb porcelain such as qinghua(blue and white),jihong(rainbow),doucai(blue and white with a red,yellow,green and purple overglaze)fencai (famille rose),etc,were without equal anywhere in the world.Today,in addition to inheriting traditional methods,chinese ceramists are developing many new techniques.the wares of Jingdezhen,the underglazed wares of Liling ,the gold-outlined wares of Tangshan,the crystalling-glazed wares of Zibo win acclaim from porcelain connoisseurs at home and abroad.

Silk products and embroidery,exquisite in workmanship,multifarious in patterns,harmonious in colour scheme,and distinctive in national style,are really good buys in Shanghai,Suzhou,hangzhou,shantou and Beijing.Suzhou pieces look nearly impossible to have been done with single filaments of silk The double-sided hand embroidery,with its dazzling colours and striking patterns,is especially nifty.

Many tourists are interested in some special loca crafts such as clay figurines in Wuxi,among which the famous "Lucky fat ties "are obese babies,symbols of fortune and happiness,bamboowae in chengdu,Sandalwood fans in Suzhou plaited straw ware (hats,mats baskets )and shell -carvings in Qingdao.All in all ,china is not only a country with a long history of culture and art ,but also a shoppers 'paradise.