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Lacquerware

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An elegant Chinese lacquer dish from the Ming Dynasty, featuring intricate carvings of a dragon in the clouds.

Beautiful Lacquerware

Lacquerware are shiny, beautiful objects made with a special coating called lacquer. These can be small cups or big pieces of furniture. People often paint pictures on them, add sparkly shell pieces, or carve fun designs. Sometimes, they even sprinkle gold or silver dust to make them extra special.

Many countries in East Asia, like China, Japan, and Korea, have been making lacquerware for thousands of years. The lacquer comes from the sap of a tree called Toxicodendron vernicifluum. People in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Americas also have their own ways of making these shiny items.

In Japan, lacquer is called urushi. They use a special technique called Maki-e to create beautiful designs. In Korea, a type of lacquerware called Najeonchilgi uses shiny pieces from shells. In Myanmar (also called Burma), lacquer comes from a tree called Thitsee. People there make bowls, boxes, and trays with colorful designs.

Lacquerware is loved all around the world for its shine and beauty. It takes many hours to make, but the result is very special. You can find lacquerware in museums and homes, shining brightly and showing off lovely designs.

Images

An elegant 18th-century Japanese sake bottle made with black lacquer and decorated with gold and silver designs.
A beautifully crafted Vietnamese lacquerware gift box used in traditional engagement rituals.
An elegant Korean lacquer box from the 1700s, decorated with mother-of-pearl and silk details.
An ornate Chinese lacquer tray from the Yuan and Ming Dynasty, featuring plum blossoms and birds with intricate mother-of-pearl inlay.
An ornate Chinese lacquer incense box from the Song-Yuan Dynasty, featuring a delicate scroll design.
An ornate Chinese folding screen from the Qing dynasty, showcasing traditional artistry and design.
An ancient Chinese lacquerware display from the Qin-Han Dynasty at the Hubei Provincial Museum.
An ancient Chinese red lacquer tray from the Song Dynasty, beautifully decorated with engraved golden birds and a peony plant, symbols of longevity and prosperity.
An ancient Chinese lacquer painting showing filial sons and virtuous women, from a tomb in the Northern Wei Dynasty.
An ancient red lacquered bowl from the Hemudu culture, on display at Zhejiang Museum.
Historical artifacts from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, displayed in the Hubei Provincial Museum.
A beautifully detailed male figure from an ancient lacquer painting over wood, dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Related articles

East Asia
Japan
Southeast Asia
South Asia
Americas
Myanmar

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Lacquerware, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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