Ching Lacquerware

In the writings of Han Fei-tse, a Chou Dynasty philosopher, we find mention of the lacquerware used by the legendary rulers Yao and Shun. If this passage is legitimate, then lacquerware has a history of at least 4,000 years in China. Chinese traditional lacquer is made from a special tree sap that does not harden easily and is prone to oxidation. However, these weaknesses notwithstanding, once it does harden it resists heat and acid, is very durable, and is easily dyed. Because lacquer can be built up, it can be carved. All these factors are among the reasons that lacquered work gradually became one of the important art forms of China.

On the whole, Ming lacquerwares may be described as thick and utilitarian, whereas Ching ware is delicate and decorative. The works of the two dynastic periods differ also in color choices, the former characterized by a soft purplish-red, the latter by bright red. Ching lacquer carving is very delicate, but lacks the naturalness of Ming pieces. During the Chien Lung period of the Ching Dynasty, the varieties of lacquerware were greatly expanded, incorporating many non-utilitarian pieces which were prized for their decorative value.

Illustrated here is a piece from the Ching Palace collection, a dish in a double caltrop design, engraved with eight symbols of good fortune. If this piece is compared with the Ming lacquerware in the May 1981 issue of "Sinorama," the differences between the Ming and Ching works can be clearly seen.

Illustrated here is a piece from the Ching Palace collection, a dish in a double caltrop design, engraved with eight symbols of good fortune. If this piece is compared with the Ming lacquerware in the May 1981 issue of "Sinorama," the differences between the Ming and Ching works can be clearly seen.