Chinese lacquer ware has a long history. As early as 7,000 years ago the Chinese discovered that the sap of varnish trees had a strong adhesive quality and a beautiful gloss that could protect and decorate household implements. Tapping the trees, which grew naturally throughout most of mainland China, yielded such an abundant supply of lacquer that artisans began using it to coat a large variety of objects.
The original wares in China were those coated with black and red lacquers. From the Shang Dynasty to the Han, colorful painting, gold inlaying and other techniques were introduced into the making of lacquer ware. The oldest lacquer ware discovered dates back to the Warring State Period (403--221 BC) when lacquer ware was popular.
To make lacquer ware, a base coat is applied to a core material, followed by extremely thin layers of the finest lacquer. Once these have dried, a final layer is added to make the lacquer strong and light, whilst maintaining the elegant appearance and harmonious color. It was in the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties, when the lacquer ware production started to flourish.
The best-known lacquer ware, which is produced in the Fujian Province, is the solid lacquer without any wooden base, characterized by its heat, acid and alkali resistant properties.
