Ruan Jiewang (Abbreviated version)

Human beings are diligently exploring the magnificent and extensive nature for their lifetime. Since ancient times, artisans of lacquer art have always worked hands to infiltrate their pious creation essence into the fantastic beauty of lacquer. Simple objects reflect their poetic mood, and their creation connects with the shared feeling of nature. Meanwhile, their skills are perfectly practiced to show the illusory charm of lacquer. Therefore, personalities and traits of great artisans lay the foundations of the soul of their creation realm, as the saying which describes the ingenuity of creation in The Book of Songs goes: "As knife and file make smooth the bone, so jade is wrought by chisel and stone."Thus it can be seen that perfection has always been the ultimate belief of Chinese artisans and ingenuity to pursue the creation from ancient times to the present.

The word "Qi (lacquer)", created by Chinese ancestors, consists of Ren (people), Mu (wood) and Shui (water). China is the first nation to discover and use lacquer-painted ornaments and wares in human history. In ancient times, Emperor Shun made food containers with lacquer, and Emperor Yu made sacrificial utensils with lacquer. Moreover, lacquer was used to paint palace, to make melodious lyre as well as showing the nobleness of emperors. It is thus clear that lacquer has been significantly used from ancient times.

Chinese lacquer culture first appeared in the Neolithic Age. From Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties to the Warring States Period, lacquer art was growing more mature and bearing the charm of Chu culture. With a wide range of uses, it was used not only in daily life but also in sacrifice rites. Usually painted with red and black lacquer, carved lacquer art had been appeared in Shang Dynasty. The Han Dynasty is the golden age of lacquer art with various kinds of lacquer wares, including diet household utensils, make-up appliances, furniture, etc. At that time, lacquered sacrificial vessels appeared to replace bronze wares. Red or ocherous patterns were painted on black lacquer to show the ancient lacquer language which is full of magic changes and flowing souls. In the ancient lacquer languages, gods and human beings coexisted harmoniously, which presented a mysterious and splendid world of China's long history of culture and art. In the Wei, Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, lacquer wares were combined with paintings to break the limitation of flat painting, thus appearing new skills of iridescence which is more live and stereoscopic. Till the Sui, Tang and the Five Dynasties, the creation of artisans of lacquer wares were improved and more perfect, which promoted the development of handicrafts, thus producing exquisite handicrafts, such as dry-lacquered Buddha statues, lacquer-painted mosaics with gold and silver and carved lacquer wares.

During the two Song Dynasties, lacquer wares were popularized. Special agencies were set up by government to manage and make lacquer wares Great Artisans and Era of Lacquer for imperial use, and lacquer wares for civil use were also put into market. The extremely exquisite and natural carved lacquer is the achievement of lacquer wares in Yuan Dynasty. Due to the great attention and love of the court, the development of lacquer wares reached a peak in Ming Dynasty. Under the supervision of imperial household, lacquer wares made in imperial workshops were becoming more and more gorgeous and exquisite. During the Wanli Period (1573—1620), "heap color carved lacquer" was promoted on the basis of removing colors when carving lacquer wares.

Lacquer wares presented a new appearance with a wide range of shapes and sizes, especially the emerging of large-sized lacquer furniture. From small-sized boxes which were used to contain cosmetics to large-sized thrones, lacquer wares were almost used in all aspects of life. Imbued with creation essence of artisans of all the dynasties, these precious heritages of lacquer art cover the elaborate management of great artisans in terms of personality cultivation and cultural inheritance.

We should respect and extend the spirit of creation, and revive the DNA of lacquer element. Besides, we should also explore the ontology language of lacquer to transfer the contemporary art language. Artisans should work hand in hand to relocate the precious value of human nature, and make it receive deserved respects and pass on from generation to generation.

I. The brief history of bodiless lacquer wares in Fuzhou

Lacquer wares in Fuzhou initiated in the Southern Song Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, Shen Shao'an, a lacquer artisan of Fuzhou, discovered the long-lost skill of "dry lacquer" in Sui and Tang Dynasties when he was repairing the worn-out plaque of a temple. As an intelligent artisan with a sincere heart, Shen Shao'an devoted himself to studying and adopting fine linen and silk to build mold which is thin but with strong quality. The unique bodiless lacquer wares were successfully developed with his hands and wisdom. Moreover, the skill of lacquer-painted thin materials with colors, developed by the descendants of the Shen family, made the ancient lacquer wares more gorgeous and bright, which not only revitalized lacquer wares in Fuzhou but also promoted the development of the industry. Deeply favored by people all around the world, the unique bodiless lacquer wares of the Shen family won numerous awards in international expositions, which made Fuzhou a famous center of lacquer wares. The family of Shen Shao'an played an indispensable role in the glorious development of bodiless lacquer wares of Fuzhou in modern China, which was the result of painstaking studies and persistent efforts of great artisans from the Shen family. Therefore, the noble spiritual realm of their ingenuity and wisdom deserves our respects.

After the founding of new China, China needed to develop its economy to promote all the other industries. Therefore, Lanji, ran by the Shen family, was renamed as "Joint State-Private Company of Fuzhou Bodiless Lacquer Wares". They also established the First and the Second Factory of Bodiless Lacquer Wares, and founded Fuzhou Research Institute of Arts and Crafts and Fuzhou Arts and Design School. All these behaviors had promoted the development of bodiless lacquer wares industry as a whole industrial chain in Fuzhou. Thus, the family inheritance of bodiless lacquer wares ended, and the industry of bodiless lacquer wares in Fuzhou began its development of nationalization.

In 1954, in order to further protect and develop the traditional lacquer-painted skills of bodiless lacquer wares, a research group of lacquer wares was established by the Cultural Bureau of Fujian Province. The group consisted of ten famous artisans in the industry, such as Li Zhiqing and Gao Xiuquan, who were specialized in the creation, design, research and development of new crafts, new materials and new skills.

II. Great artisan of lacquer art

Shen Fuwen is a revolutionary pioneer of art in the older generation. In 1935, he learned under the tutelage of Matsuda Quanroku，a famous master of lacquer art, to study lacquer art in Japan. During his study, he found China's long-lost manuscript of lacquer-painted skills. With the manuscript, he studied and explored dozens of long-lost skills of ancient lacquer art. In 1953, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute was established, and Mr. Shen was appointed as Dean of Applied Arts Department, and President of Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts. In 1984, his lacquer painting Heap-lacquered Goldfish won an award in the sixth national exhibition of fine arts. It is the first time that lacquer painting was regarded as an independent kind of painting to participate in the national exhibition with Chinese painting, oil painting, printmaking and sculpture. Shen Fuwen dedicated himself to constructing the skill system of Chinese lacquer art, which promotes the teaching of lacquer art in China's art academies. In addition, he wrote books to advance his theory which advocates the combination of theory and practice, teaching and production. He made efforts to cultivate students with both design ideas and practical abilities, which resulting in a large number of successors of modern lacquer art. Mr. Shen Fuwen is not only a spreader of Chinese lacquer art, but also a founder and educator of the art development of modern lacquer painting. He laid the foundation of profound accumulation and development to Chinese lacquer art, thus he can be regarded as a great master for other artisans to learn from.

III. The ingenuity of great artisans will be remembered through the ages

Li Zhiqing, a famous and great artisan of lacquer art, studied lacquer art in Fujian Teaching Institute of Crafts when he was 15, and learned after Japanese lacquer art artisan Harada and imperial artisan of Qing Dynasty Lin Hongzeng. In 1924, he went to Japan to systematically study "Chaning painting", "Maki-e" and other lacquer-painted skills of Japanese lacquer art. In 1954, he worked in Fuzhou Research Institute of Arts and Crafts. For his lifetime, he devoted himself in bold attempts of lacquer language transformation. By repeated experiments, he established a unique skill of lacquer language, and successfully trial-produced hundreds of precious skill samples of lacquer. By virtue of his ingenuity and talents, Mr. Li Zhiqing cleverly applied his refined techniques to catch the simplicity of natural beauty so as to awaken the magic of nature. Combined with abstract and fantasy, his ingenuity became more perfect with the progressed skills. Besides, he was pious and sincere to study, and sought the nature of art with enthusiasm. A series of Changing painting skills were born with his persistent efforts, and he selflessly published skills developed by himself to the world in the 1950s so as to benefit artisans of later generations. In 1957, Li Zhiqing reproduced the Simuwu cauldron for Nanjing Museum, which made him famous because he vividly presented the rust and copper stains produced due to age on the cauldron surface. The spirit of a national artisan can be seen from here.

All the changes of nature, including cloud and fog in the morning, sunset clouds, waves of water, etc., are inspiration for him. Inspired by those natural signs, Li Zhiqing transformed them into lacquer language. Originated from his master of skills and the nature of lacquer, he could create works following his own inclination and desire. His legendary skills were later concluded to covering and grinding lacquer, painted and colored drawing, imitated pasting ornament, silvered and colored painting and floating paint. It is undoubted that Mr. Li Zhiqing is a great artisan and good example with unique ingenuity.

I think the advantage of Mr. Li's "covering and grinding lacquer" is the grinding technique which can immediately grasp and control the material of different qualities. Textures are penetrated into each other implicitly or explicitly so as to construct subtle, clear and natural space levels, which fundamentally broke through the stereotype of traditional techniques. Be familiar with the layout, the artisan embedded the ground color of lacquer and gradually explored the unpredictable surprise, thus resulting in a mixed effect with natural and interesting sense. "Covering lacquer" and "grinding technique" have been choices for artists rather than processes of ordinary artisans. "Grinding technique" is a qualitative leap of lacquer-painted skills and a qualitative change of artistic expression. It is also a transformation from traditional and stylized way of drawing nature to detailed and abstract way of drawing Gods, and an aestheticism between implicity and elegance. The mysterious and magnificent lacquer paintings have transcended the ordinary and opened the domain of Gods with wisdom, charm and fragrance, opening up a vast space for imagination throughout all ages. Mr. Li is undoubtedly a great artisan of lacquer art who deserves respects in the field of lacquer art in Fuzhou. In the past 60 years, he created many exquisite works which were collected by museums at home and abroad. His theories and practices have promoted the birth of expressive form of modern lacquer art, and improved it continuously. The significant and special contribution made by Mr. Li will be immortalized in the history.

Ⅳ. Exchanges and collisions awaken the lacquer language

In order to revive the international reputation of Fuzhou bodiless lacquer wares and broaden the art horizon of lacquer art artisans, Fuzhou municipal government, taking the opportunity of 20th anniversary of the resumption of normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, held a large-scale activity of "92 Fujian Lacquer Culture Day" which is of significant importance for exchanges of international lacquer art. During the period, an international seminar on "the Outlook of Lacquer Culture in 21st Century" was held. At the same time, a seminar on the publication of Chinese Lacquer Wares, trade fair of lacquer products and China-Japan exhibition of modern lacquer art were also held. We sent artisans from Fujian, Sichuan, Beijing and other places who represented the high level of lacquer art in China. And Mr. Nagatoshi Onishi, the speaker of "World Conference on Lacquer Art", led the member of its 7th investigation group of lacquer origin to participate this activity, and brought lacquer works which represent their highest level. Mr. Shen Fuwen and Mr. Li Zhiqing went to Japan to study lacquer art, and the activity of "92 Fujian Lacquer Culture Day" firstly invited a large number of excellent artisans of lacquer art to exchange and compete skills as well as conducting profound academic discussion. The reconstruction of the shape and quality of wares and the dimension of its connotation defines the direction of research in future, and is used to study implicit thoughts and emotions expressed in different materials and forms. We are aware that ingenuity can be achieved with technique, spirit and culture. The way to revitalize lacquer art is not just inheritance but inheritance with our creation.

Mr. Fan Di'an, a young art criticism at that time, wrote a review article for the activity of "92 Fujian Lacquer Culture Day". Excerpts are as follows: "At this time, works, representing the level of modern lacquer art of both countries, are presented in the same space, which provides a precious opportunity to compare artistic concepts and different styled of lacquer artists of both countries and to consider the development tendency of lacquer art. In this sense, the Sino-Japanese artists share a common starting point."

Ⅴ. Cultural confidence leads lacquer art creation

We learned from the western advanced culture in the 1980s, and now we have returned to the eastern culture with confidence because of the strengthened national power. Taking a new look at our artistic concept of creation, what is the root of intentions for creation? It is the confidence of culture. Thinking back to the fundamental starting point of our confident Chinese traditional culture, value and aesthetics, artisans of lacquer art, with confidence of oriental aesthetics, can create lacquer wares with oriental beauty, and oriental spirit and oriental creation can be integrated together as one.

In 2006, Fuzhou bodiless lacquer wares was listed on the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages. At the same time, Fuzhou launched implementation methods to protect and develop traditional arts and crafts, and established Industry Association of Bodiless Lacquer Wares and Innovative Center of Industry Technique. All these efforts were made to look for a revitalized way for Fuzhou bodiless lacquer wares industry. The Chinese lacquer culture is beginning to awaken, presenting a flourishing situation of lacquer art. Lacquer works begin to present their skills in a scientific and strict way, and they are full of the spirit of artists from shapes, colors to texture.

Ⅵ. Welcome the era of lacquer language

The modernization process of Chinese lacquer art is closely related with Fujian province. The upcoming Fuzhou International Lacquer Art Biennale, held in ancient court of "Hibiscus Garden" in Zhuzi Fang by the Antai River, is a continuation of the activity of "92 Fujian Lacquer Culture Day". As the academic host, Mr. Fan Di'an, the President of Central Academy of Fine Arts, will review the first exchange of lacquer art between the East and the West and its enlightenment for the future creation. Mr. Nagatoshi Onishi, the speaker of "World Conference on Lacquer Culture"will once again celebrate this great event with his old and new friends in China's lacquer field, review the history and exchange experience so as to light the revitalized torch of Fuzhou bodiless lacquer wares.

The expression of emotions in the East is usually implicit and delicate, aiming to reach an aesthetic ideal where souls and wares are naturally integrated. Taking tea ceremony, incense lore and lyre lore as carriers, lacquer wares integrate the ritual function, device function and art function of lacquer element. Lacquer art is advocated to return to the modern life of Chinese, such as sitting quietly-burning incense, playing chess-drinking tea, writing with brush-writing letters by hand and sacrificial rituals. All the above activities can be taught in our daily life, and be carried in the lacquer wares. Converting the understanding of the mysterious charm of lacquer wares to a calm mind, we should enter the free realm of art creation with a void and quiet mind. Lacquer art is tranquil, restrained, noble and splendid, but will return to simplicity at last. The simplicity of lacquer in oriental Buddhist mood is leading the modern aesthetic trend, and the philosophy of harmony between man and nature is presented vividly in the beautiful and magnificent lacquer wares through careful appreciation.

The progress of lacquer art is accompanied by the development of tools and evolution of science and technology. Fashionable design and lacquer art are perfectly combined to present contemporary temperament, which will induce the artistic charm that has power to reach people's heart. Art is able to meet the pursuit of human being's subjective emotions. We should mix art into life so as to improve the interests of life and promote art creation and business practice of lacquer culture at the same time.

Ⅶ. The spirit of national artisans and the lasting ingenuity

The beauty of nature is the greatest beauty of heaven and earth which is beyond words, and the beauty of art is ideal beauty created by human beings. To forecast the academic future of lacquer art and explore sublimation of the traditional aesthetics of lacquer art in contemporary aesthetics in accordance with the above principle, the diversified expression of lacquer language is inevitable. Famous artisans and scholars at home and abroad will discuss how to effectively promote traditions and prosper contemporary creation of lacquer art. We are looking forward to the results of their thinking collisions. Taking the opportunity of the biennial exhibition, a win-win platform will be established for lacquer industry at home and abroad. The common efforts of government, the community of art and scholars will show the soft power of Fujian lacquer culture of China to the world. We will construct a lacquer art center and a lacquer cultural industrial center of Fuzhou which integrate resources, technology, talents, market, exhibitions, production and trades, and establish a vivid ecosystem of lacquer culture with talents training, technical inheritance, innovative research and development, promoted market and support of talents. Besides, we will also synchronize with the trend of world lacquer art and explore the unique oriental charm of lacquer art as well as inheriting the spirit of great artisans so as to present a flourishing and magnificent age of oriental lacquer culture.