Lacquerware master worries about future

Li Bosheng, a master of bodiless lacquerware, works in a studio in Poyang county of East China's Jiangxi province. Li began to learn the craft from his father 40 years ago and is the only province-recognized craftsman of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage in Jiangxi. This unique craft is considered among China's great folk art treasures along with Jingdezhen porcelain and cloisonné from Beijing. The creation of bodiless lacquerware begins with a clay, plastic or wooden mold with raw lacquer used as glue for layers of ramie or silk. After it has dried, the ware is removed and finished with polishing, carving and embellishing. Although he has won a number of awards at home and abroad, Li said the craft faces a worrying decline due to its time-consuming production and technical requirements. Despite governmental support, few younger people are willing to learn and inherit the craft. [Photo/China News Service]