Yongchun Lacquer Basket [Fujian Yongchun Specialty]

What is Yongchun Lacquer Basket? Authentic Fujian Yongchun Specialty: Yongchun Lacquer Basket

Content Summary:Do you want to know what Yongchun Lacquer Basket is? This article is a detailed introduction toFujian Yongchun specialty - Yongchun Lacquer Basket. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network after reviewing and collecting relevant information about Yongchun Lacquer Basket. The full text takes about 6 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Yongchun Lacquer Basket and the product characteristics of Yongchun Lacquer Basket? How did the history of Yongchun lacquer baskets come about? The production method of Yongchun lacquer basket, etc

Introduction to Yongchun Lacquer Basket

Yongchun Lacquer Basket is a famous Han lacquerware handicraft in the southern Fujian region.

. Lacquer baskets, as important daily necessities, are widely popular in the southern Fujian region and were essential accessories and dowry items for early folk weddings. It is also a utensil used to hold items during major festivals such as welcoming gods and ancestors, celebrating birthdays, visiting relatives and friends, or as a gift given to each other

Lacquer baskets have become an important part of Minnan culture. When Minnan people drifted overseas to Southeast Asia, lacquer baskets became a part of overseas Chinese culture. Many overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia return to their hometowns and always bring a few lacquer baskets with them to express their homesickness

The Yongchun lacquer basket is finely crafted, holds water without leakage, and cannot be broken by falling. The basket lid was placed on the ground, and a person weighing over a hundred pounds stood on it, motionless. The whole basket is exquisite and delicate, with a bright and shiny shine. There are over 100 varieties of sizes and specifications, with multiple large layers, a diameter of 42 centimeters, and a height of 72 centimeters. It can hold two to three kilograms of items, not only for lifting, but also for picking. During festivals and holidays, it can be filled with food and hung on ventilated hanging beams, making it a hygienic and unique "aerial vegetable cabinet"

"The bamboo basket never runs out of water" refers to the Yongchun lacquer basket in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. Its unique processing technology allows it to hold water without leaking, and its production technique has a history of more than 500 years

The production method of Yongchun lacquer basket

The technique of making lacquer baskets, if subdivided, has more than 30 passes. In terms of major steps, it can be divided into three steps: bamboo weaving, plastering, and lacquer painting carving

Bamboo weaving

The raw material for lacquer baskets is locally abundant bamboo. In the hands of 64 year old villager Guo Qingbai, bamboo was divided into two parts by a sharp bamboo blade, with two parts divided into four and four parts divided into eight... continuously dividing until it became strips of varying thickness. The thickness of the bamboo strips varies according to the requirements of the lacquer basket, with the thinnest being comparable to a strand of hair. The bamboo strips serve as the warp and the silk strips as the weft, which are skillfully woven into baskets. Baskets come in different sizes, including flat baskets, grid baskets, container baskets, as well as boxes and plates

Gray worker

People often say that "a bamboo basket is empty when you draw water", but this lacquered basket has become sturdy, lightweight, and leak proof due to the second step of "gray worker"

"Gray worker" can be understood as plastering. Guo Yunyong, who is 74 years old this year and has 56 years of experience as a "grey worker", said that he first digs up the soil from the field, dries it, grinds it finely, screens it, and leaves a fine soil powder like flour. Fine soil powder mixed with tung oil becomes "oil ash". The program of "grey worker" is very diverse. First, boil the basket embryo with lime water, organize the basket shape, cut off the bamboo strips, and then plaster the basket body. Cut out a fabric sample according to the pattern, mount the fabric, and mount the paper. The bottom and body of the basket need to be coated with fine dust, then trimmed and ground to remove excess oil and black oil. There are over 20 processes, big and small, from front to back

Lacquer painting pile carving

Lacquer painting pile carving is the finishing touch of the lacquer basket

After being carved with lacquer paintings, the "gray headed and earth faced" lacquer basket has become magnificent and elegant