Exquisite artworks displayed at the Palace Museum in Beijing Photo: Weng Rong/CSST

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The ancient silk routes connected the civilization of ancient China with various civilizations in Asia, Africa, and Europe, serving as a bridge for trade, technological exchanges, and artistic interactions between China and the West. Among the unique cultural symbols of Chinese civilization, lacquerware holds a profound influence.

Maritime Silk Road   

In a sense, the ancient silk routes served as conduits for the reciprocal transmission and dissemination of Chinese and foreign cultures, comprising both land and sea routes. Along this historical network, precious silk, delicate porcelain, and exquisite lacquerware with intricate craftsmanship collectively formed a magnificent narrative. Lacquer art carries rich national connotations and aesthetic ideals of China, with its origins dating back to antiquity. While studies of the Silk Road often focus on porcelain, tea, and silk, the cultural significance of lacquerware, representing the aesthetic tastes of Eastern artifacts, should not be ignored. Its cultural value is immeasurable. Due to its unique material, lacquerware primarily relied on sea transportation. China established trade relations with overseas countries as early as the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), with increased transactions during the Tang (618-907 CE) and Song (960-1279 CE) dynasties. The Maritime Silk Road not only disseminated technological civilization but also the craftsmanship and intellectual civilization rooted in the fertile soil of China. The cultural value of lacquerware was thus also extended to various parts of the world.

BRI & art exchanges

Since the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), partner countries have joined hands and developed together economically, scientifically, technologically, and agriculturally, as well as in fields such as education and culture. Inter-civilizational mutual learning is an important driving force for promoting inter-civilizational progress, world peace, and development. In art exchanges, art serves as a bridge of friendship, playing a significant role in the sustainable development of the BRI.

In the context of the BRI, the promotion of the Chinese lacquer art culture presents new opportunities. 

The production process of lacquerware is long, highly complex, and challenging. It involves the preparation of base materials, layering of paint, and the intricate lacquer decoration. 

Emphasis is placed on “craftsmanship” and ingenuity in the creation of these pieces. Today, as a traditional craft, the production of lacquerware should uphold the spirit of craftsmanship, remain true to its original intent, and draw from the experiences of predecessors. Lacquer art is both traditional and modern, and in the contemporary context, lacquer art has ushered in new changes. 

Today’s creators should focus on establishing a relationship between lacquer art and aesthetic life.

Since the BRI was proposed, China has launched a series of measures to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, fostering cross-regional integration and cross-cultural communication in various fields through the establishment of domestic and international exchange platforms. The ancient silk routes, as important channels for cultural exchanges between China and the world, not only facilitated trade and economic exchanges between the East and the West, but also promoted Chinese and foreign crafts and aesthetic ideas. Lacquer art has crossed oceans and mountains, becoming a model of inter-civilizational exchanges.

Li Mei (professor) and Li Menghong are from the School of Art and Design at Yangzhou University.  

Edited by ZHAO YUAN