Qidiao, Carved Lacquer Technique of Ancient China

With its thousands of years of history, Beijing has a very rich culture. Beyond the modern neighbourhoods, buried deep in the city's suburbs, a host of small workshops maintain and nurture the ancient traditions and savoir-faire. Here, an hour's drive from the centre of Beijing, is produced an art form prized by the Chinese and collectors all over the world. Red lacquering, a technique invented in 4th century China. Zixin Yong is one of the few remaining masters of this ancient technique. I'm working on a piece called the lychee box. All over the surface, I'm carving patterns inspired by this fruit. Here, I have drawn a pattern of lychee leaves on the box. Now, I have to do the carving. When it's finished, we will have a box in which can be kept jewellery or precious objects. This is a beautiful piece. Here, we are at a very special stage called red etching. It is quite complex and meticulous. First, I must apply several coats of lacquer. Once the lacquer is thick enough, we can begin to carve. When I make something, it has to be done calmly. You cannot hurry. It's all about patience. There, almost finished. You can see all the beauty of the carving. It's a truly meticulous job. You see these lychees and the rounded leaves? In China, round and square shapes each have their own significance. We talk about a round heaven and a square earth. Here on the box, we find this notion of roundness. I draw my inspiration from Chinese civilization. I often use ancient patterns. Between the 5th and the 8th centuries, China was very prosperous, very rich. In fact, stoutness was synonymous with beauty. This piece is kind of a nod to that period. Here's how I make the lacquer. Basically, it's resin harvested from a lacquer tree. It's a rather rare resin. A lacquer tree can produce only 25 to 28 kilos per year. To transform this resin into red lacquer, I must add a mineral called cinnabar. So, I mix cinnabar with the resin to get the perfect red lacquer. You see, I start painting at the bottom and work my way upwards. Only one coat can be applied per day. It will take more than 100 layers of lacquer, that's to say, 100 days of painting, before I can start carving. The painting alone takes between 8 and 9 months. Then comes the carving, producing the pattern, polishing, varnishing. In fact, each piece takes a year to complete. There is a Chinese proverb that says, the longer the time spent, the more beautiful the piece. Zi Xing Yong learned the art of lacquering from his father, ever since he's remained in the family workshop where he grew up. I started doing this job because my parents taught it to me. When I was a kid, I was fascinated by the work the people around me were doing. I watched them closely, and that's how I developed this passion. I was only 11 years old when I began carving lacquer. At the time, in our production team, I learned from old craftsmen. My apprenticeship lasted almost 30 years. Lacquer is a material that is inextricably linked to Chinese civilization. In China, traces of completely lacquered objects dating back over 3,000 years have been found. The art of lacquering subsequently spread throughout Southeast Asia. Today, red lacquering has become part of China's heritage. I am now regarded as a master who can pass on this knowledge. It is my job to pass on this technique and prepare the next generation. It is the final goal of my life. Chinese lacquering is the expression of a refined and meticulous art form. In Paris, London and New York, the market is buoyant and collectors pay several hundreds of thousands of dollars for antique Chinese lacquered furniture. With a history dating back 300,000 years, the Beijing region is one of the world's oldest civilizations. However, over the last 30 years, the city has undergone phenomenal economic development. Historic districts are now surrounded by business zones, and Chinese youth. Deluxe shopping malls are springing up everywhere and vie with each other to find creative ways to attract a clientele with an ever-increasing purchasing power. In the Parkview Green shopping mall, the most luxurious in Beijing, contemporary artist Cheng Wengling is currently exhibiting his works, The Red Men. We could dig a hole in the mouth in the workshop. It would look good. Okay, we'll see what we can do. It will enhance his look of astonishment. I created The Red Boys series 15 or 16 years ago. It's an autobiographical piece. I was born in the late 60s during the Maoist period. All over China at that time, resources were limited and life was kind of dull. My childhood was steeped in political ideology and an adult world taken over by subjects that prevent a happy childhood. What I want to say is that children should not have to concern themselves with the problems of the day. They should be able to keep their innocence and simply live the life of a child. Look, this is what I looked like when I was little. In fact, these statues are me. I think many other Chinese children of my generation have the same experience. We had nothing, we lived with very little, and yet we managed to be happy. You know, during the Cultural Revolution in China, life was particularly hard. But I don't think that an artist should depict suffering directly. I myself, for example, have opted to represent children and human nature in general from a resolutely positive point of view, despite the often gloomy nature of everyday life. It's in bronze, it's very heavy. Xiaotang, you sure it won't fall over? No, no way. Okay. So you're sure the structure is secure in the buttocks? Otherwise it might fall over and hurt people, right? Don't worry. We need to change the position of that one. Ever since the founding of New China, red has been the symbol of revolution. Traditionally, it's a fetish colour. For me, it's a colour unlike any other. It's a characteristic of China. We all have different relationship with the colour red. My personal preference is to use red in my creations. I came to understand the reason through analysis with a psychologist. Around 20 years ago, I was attacked. My things were stolen and I suffered 10 stab wounds. I think this event traumatized me and probably influences my work in an unconscious way. Hey, this one isn't fixed. Aren't they afraid it will be stolen? This piece depicts a child leaning on a table, observing an ant. As he contemplates this microscopic world, the child is fulfilled and satisfied. He is happy because he is lost in thought. We who live in large cities, in Europe or elsewhere, should take the time to take a step back. Modernization and technological progress make it increasingly difficult to let one's mind wander. In days gone by, it was a lot easier to let yourself go. Today, people who live closer to nature have maintained this ability to let their minds wander. Today, the works of Cheng Wenling are exported worldwide. In 1999, he won the Golden Lion Award at the Biennale of Venice.