Beijing Eight Imperial Handicrafts, namely Jingtailan (Cloisonne), Carved Lacquer, Jade Carving, Palace Carpet, Gold Lacquer Inlaid, Filigree Inlaid Metal Art, Ivory Carving, and Beijing Embroidery, once reached the art peak of handicraft in ancient China when they were used only by the Royal family. 

Thanks to the efforts of generations of masters, those handicrafts have been preserved well and given a new life. 

Let's walk into the studios of those masters to see how they work on their art.

Introduced from the Arabian countries during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and becoming popular during the "Jingtai" years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), "Jingtailan" represents a special localized cloisonne wrought of copper and porcelain. 

With patterns structured with copper wires and painted with enamel glaze all on a copper body, dozens of procedures including burning, grinding and gilding are applied to make a Jingtailan piece. Within 600 years, the craft is integrated into the traditional Chinese art.

Beijing Enamel Factory, first set up in 1956, is the only China Time-honored Brand in Jingtailan making now also serves as a production and protection base of the craft.

File photo taken on Dec. 4, 2019 shows cloisonne artworks exhibited at the Beijing Enamel Factory, in Beijing, capital of China.  (Xinhua/Li Xin)

This photo taken on Dec. 12, 2019 shows a piece of Jingtailan artwork being burnt in a fire at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

File photo taken on Dec. 4, 2019 shows a craftsman coloring a cloisonne artwork in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Craftsmen work on Jingtailan artwork at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Tian Weiwei)

Over the past 60 plus years, the factory cradled a team of professional Jingtailan craftsmen, and Zhong Liansheng, a Chinese Master of Arts and Crafts, is one of the best. Being the general manager of the Beijing Enamel Factory, he is a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor for Jingtailan.

Zhong Liansheng works on a piece of Jingtailan artwork at a workshop of Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024.  (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Zhong Liansheng and a craftsman apply filigree on Jingtailan artwork at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Zhong Liansheng checks Jingtailan artwork at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024.  (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Zhong started his career in 1978 when he began to learn the art in a school. Nowadays, one of the masterpieces that he is most proud of is the enamel watch invented by his team. The piece, featuring an exquisite pattern lined with fine pure gold or silver wires of a diameter of 0.045 millimeters and filled with glaze on the dial, is completed with the help of a 40x microscope.

Craftswomen talk on the skills of making Jingtailan at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

A craftswoman paints colors on an enamel dial plate at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Weixi)

This photo taken on May 15, 2024 shows a watch made with Jingtailan technique displayed at the Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China.  (Xinhua/Tian Weiwei)

Zhong insists that the intangible cultural heritage can be passed to generations only by integrating it into people's daily life. With their efforts, Jingtailan art is accepted in common people's life and recently even is applied in architecture decorations.

Short before his retirement, Zhong's daily work includes patrolling on the production line and teaching apprentices, among whom some are honored titles such as city-level masters of arts and crafts.

This undated file photo shows Jingtailan artwork made by Zhong Liansheng at the Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua)

Zhong Liansheng talks with his colleagues on the skills of making Jingtailan artwork at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024.  (Xinhua/Li Xin)

A workshop is pictured at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

A craftswoman applies filigree on Jingtailan artwork at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Tian Weiwei)

A designed pattern of Jingtailan and shaped copper wires are pictured at Beijing Enamel Factory in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Source: China Daily
Editor: Lyu Yun