REKIHAKU

No.165 A Witness to History

Canton Ware -- Chinese Export Lacquerware

Lacquerware, which is a type of craftwork specific to Asia, won popularity in Europe after the 17th century, and lacquerware for Westerners including large-sized cabinets, etc. was exported through the East India Company in each country and individual trading merchants. The lacquerware with the highest evaluation was Japanese maki-e lacquerware, which uses gold and silver abundantly and has a reputation for its elaborate technique. China also exported coromandel (a technique called "kuancai" in China, which carves the lacquered surface down to the base and fills the hollow with pigments of various colors), raden (a decoration technique by inserting mother-of-pearl), and "byokin" lacquerware, which is an imitation of Japanese maki-e lacquerware.

Game box with byokin of castle and figures

Imitation of Maki-e
It seems that byokin lacquerware began to be produced extensively in the Ming Dynasty in imitation of the maki-e technique brought from Japan as a specialty. However, there is a large difference between the Chinese and Japanese techniques. According to Kyushokuroku (from the former collection of Kimura Kenkado / Tokyo National Museum), which is a complete guide to lacquer work techniques written by 黄成（Huang Cheng）at the end of the Ming Dynasty in 1635 (Tenkei 5), byokin is also called "deikingashitsu" with one type equivalent to Japanese keshihun maki-e and the other equivalent to haku-e. Keshihun maki-e is a technique using keshihun (powdered gold leaf for maki-e), which is far finer than the maruhun used for regular maki-e. With this technique, maki-e powder in a powder tube is not sprinkled but keshihun on cotton is made to adhere to patterns drawn with lacquer. In other words, keshihun maki-e is a "maki-e technique without sprinkling." Haku-e is a technique where gold leaf is adhered to patterns drawn with lacquer and where excess gold leaf is then wiped off. Maki-e powder itself is not used.

Game box with byokin of castle, figures, and arabesque design The box has small boxes and small dishes for cards and game chips inside.

Finer maki-e powder can dramatically reduce the amount of gold to be used, so maki-e-style decoration can be created at low cost. Needless to say, a lower amount of gold does not provide great splendor, which results in a lower-quality finish. Because the surface sprinkled with gold powder is thin and easily worn down, the patterns will eventually be erased. However, Westerners who felt that Japanese lacquerware was unreasonably expensive must have welcomed Chinese byokin lacquerware, which could be obtained easily as a substitute for Japanese lacquerware, although the quality was somewhat lower.

Octagonal box with byokin of castle and figures The box combines complex curves and has a hinged cover at the back. There is a tea box of this type that is thought to have had two cans of black tea inside.

Byokin Lacquerware Exported from Canton
Byokin lacquerware, which was established as a Cantonese specialty in the last half of the 17th century, became the mainstream Chinese lacquerware exported to Western countries and continued to be exported until the 19th century. In 1757 (Kenryu 22), foreign trade was limited to one port in Guangzhou by Chinese maritime bans. After that, byokin lacquerware was exported from Canton to European countries including the United Kingdom. For this reason, byokin lacquerware is well known by the name of "Canton ware."

All relics of Canton ware collected by the Museum are homecoming products from Europe. They are typical examples of the lacquerware exported in large quantities from the last half of the 18th century through the 19th century. They mainly use the technique of hira-maki-e using fine maki-e powder of gold and blue gold (alloy of gold and silver) sometimes accompanied by taka-maki-e and lacquer painting. The patterns combine minute Chinese-style drawings of castles and figures with geometric patterns in a unique style that emphasizes the exoticism preferred by Westerners. Game boxes and tea boxes were regular lacquerware products exported to Western countries.

Screens with byokin of castle, figures, and landscape / Front face (Whole view and partial view) The screens show the scene of "Cao Cao giving a magnificent banquet at Dojakudai" from Records of Three Kingdoms. This is an episode that shows the power of the high-spirited army lead by Cao Cao around the Battle of Red Cliffs. The screens show the spectacular banquet to commemorate the completion of the gigantic Dojakudai castle built by Cao Cao in 210 (Kenan 15). They show Cao Cao in the center and warlords competing in their military arts in the front courtyard.

Chinese export lacquerware became a threat to Japanese export lacquerware. The reason was that it was not only less expensive but also that very large-sized furniture such as folding screens, etc. and various forms of lacquerware according to the furniture trend of the time could be provided.In order to recapture this share of Chinese lacquerware, which was made in Nagasaki and exported from Japan in the 19th century, lacquerware furniture of complex shapes with inlaid mother-of-pearl decoration that looked good for the price was introduced. Canton ware and Nagasaki ware have many items in common such as sewing tables, game boxes, folding tables, etc. It was an ironic consequence that as a result of the competition for lacquerware export between Japan and China, Canton ware used the byokin technique in imitation of Japanese maki-e, and Nagasaki ware used the mother-of-pearl technique that was a Chinese specialty.

Screens with byokin of castle, figures, and landscape / Back face (Whole view and partial view) Two boats with a dragon's head raising the flag of "天后元君(Tian Hou Yuan Qun)" and "三聖社（San Sheng She） " respectively on the water make us presume that the screens are describing the festival (Tin Hau Festival) associated with Mazu worship. The images would have been a focus of prayer for maritime safety and prosperous trade.

HIDAKA Kaori (History of Art, Research Department)