Chinese Handicrafts --- Lacquer & Cinnabar

Lacquer has been used in Chinese Arts since about 200 BC. Lacquer come from the sap of a Lacquer tree (Native to Southern China). It is harvested much like Maple sap in the United States and Canada. Lacquer is an extremely tedious process. Many coats are needed to create a thickness that can be carved.

As many as 100 to 150 coats may be used on some pieces to achieve the desired thickness. Each layer must dry before the next can be applied. It takes up to 4 months to make a single piece. The most popular coloring used in Lacquer goods is called Cinnabar which is made from mercury. The name comes from its dark red color. Most of the workshops in China that made Cinnabar items have closed.