Qingming Festival by the Riverside Lacquer Folding Screen

Chinese ancestors began to make lacquerware about 7,000 years ago. In 1978, red lacquer bowls and tubes of the Hemudu Culture were found in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province . According to scientific analysis, the coatings are natural lacquers.

After the Han Dynasty, the variety of lacquerware increased, and the craft flourished for five centuries starting in the Warring States Period from 475 B.C. to 221 B.C. The scale of lacquerware production had already become very large in the Warring States Period. Lacquerware was one of the main economic resources of the time, and there were specific officials in charge of its production.

Lacquer box of Shang and Zhou Dynasties

According to historical records, the ancient Chinese sage of Zhuang Zi used to be an officer in charge of lacquerware production. The production process was very complicated, necessitating a strong work force and long working hours. Lacquerware was very expensive. It came in many varied forms and was widely used for furniture, utensils, stationary, art works, musical instruments, funeral goods and weapons. The nobles moved their attention from bronzeware to lacquerware because the latter was bright, light, easy to clean, had heat insulation and corrosion resistant qualities and could be inlaid and painted with many colors.

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