Xiushi: The Story of Lacquer (Great Chinese Inventions)

Delve into the exquisite art of xiushi, where objects are transformed through the application of lacquer and intricate decoration.

This comprehensive book spans over twenty chapters, each offering a unique insight into the world of xiushi. From the early discovery of lacquer to the intricate techniques developed over eight thousand years, the author weaves together historical narratives and craft-making stories.

Through detailed descriptions and abundant images of artifacts, the author traces the evolution of xiushi, highlighting techniques such as tuohuo (relief carving), tianqian (filling and inlaying), qianluodian (mother-of-pearl inlay), feijin (gold leaf application), miaojin (gold line drawing), and tihong (red carving lacquer). These techniques embody the warm, elegant, and refined aesthetic of Chinese lacquerware.

Chang Bei, originally named Zhang Yan, was born in 1944 in Yangzhou. She is a professor at the School of Art, Southeast University, holding a master’ s degree in literature. Her research focuses on art history and aesthetics, with a particular focus on folk art and crafts. She has published several monographs, including Outline of Chinese Art History, Chinese Handicrafts: Art of Lacquer, Chinese Lacquerware (Korean edition) , and A History of Yangzhou Lacquerware, among others. Chen Wei: PhD, English professor of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, PRC. Hua Jueming, a researcher and former associate director of the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a renowned expert in the history of science and technology in China. His main research areas include ancient bronze metallurgy, steel technology, the history of machinery, and the philosophy of technology. In recent years, he has been devoted to the research and preservation of traditional crafts. He is the author of several works, including Essays on the History of Chinese Metallurgy, Ancient Chinese Metal Technology, etc. Pan Mengjie: MA candidate of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, PRC. Feng Lisheng, a researcher and director of the Institute for the History of Science and Ancient Documents at Tsinghua University, is mainly engaged in research on the history of mathematics in China and abroad, the history of Chinese machinery, the history of metrology, the history of physics, and the history of science and technology among Chinese ethnic minorities. He is the author of works such as The History of Ancient Chinese Surveying and The History of Sino-Japanese Mathematical Relations.