Stories

Ronghua: The Chinese Craft of Silk Flowers
Ronghua: The Chinese Craft of Silk Flowers
Ronghua: The Chinese Craft of Silk Flowers A flower begins with silk. Fine fibres are gathered, twisted around slender wire, trimmed and shaped by hand. Petals and leaves gradually emerge... Read more...
Chinese Lacquer vs Japanese Urushi: What's the Difference
Chinese Lacquer vs Japanese Urushi: What's the Difference
Chinese lacquer and Japanese urushi share a natural material and a long history across East Asia. Their different techniques and traditions reveal two distinct approaches to working with lacquer. Read more...
Chinese Lacquer Is Not Paint: Understanding the Difference
Chinese Lacquer Is Not Paint: Understanding the Difference
One word. Many meanings. Search for the word lacquer, and the results can be surprisingly confusing. You might find car paint, wood finishes, nail polish, spray coatings, and centuries-old Chinese... Read more...
RongHua (Velvet Flowers): She Chose to Hold Time Still
RongHua (Velvet Flowers): She Chose to Hold Time Still
The first time she saw Rong Hua ( Velvet Flowers) was on a winter morning. On a wooden table in the shop, a few blossoms rested under warm light. Their... Read more...
Daoming Bamboo Weaving: Learning to Follow the Material
Daoming Bamboo Weaving: Learning to Follow the Material
He grew up in a small town on the Chengdu Plain in Sichuan. In the evenings of his childhood, his father would sit by the doorway, working with bamboo. His... Read more...
Lacquer: A Surface That Holds Time
Lacquer: A Surface That Holds Time
There is a tree that bleeds. In early summer, small cuts are made along its bark.From these wounds, a pale sap slowly gathers.It is sticky. Irritating to the skin.Difficult to... Read more...