清代，朱漆菊瓣形盤
Through “Thousand Patterns Myriad Splendors”: A Glimpse into Lacquer Art’s Beauty
從「千文萬華」漆藝展一窺漆器之美
Introduction: The Dual Nature of Lacquer Art
引言：漆藝的雙重本質
In ancient times, lacquer ware served both practical purposes and decorative functions. At its simplest, it might be a bowl in a common household; at its most elaborate, a precious vessel in the imperial court—designed to contain valuable objects while exhibiting exquisite beauty. From this perspective, lacquer creations are simultaneously material products and spiritual artifacts. When these objects reach us across centuries, they become cultural treasures.
漆藝在古時，既可以是實用器，也可以是一種生活裝飾。其簡，可能是百姓家中一隻碗；其繁，可能是皇室宮廷之中的貴器，既要盛裝貴重物件，也要精緻華美。從這個角度來說，漆藝的產物首先是物質產品，同時還是精神產品。而當這些器物歷經千百年來到我們面前的時候，更是成為了一種文化產品。
清代，紅木框雕漆地嵌玉石圍屏，清代，剔紅雕九龍紋寶座
On November 16, 2018, the landmark exhibition “Thousand Patterns Myriad Splendors: Chinese Lacquer Art Through the Ages” opened at Shanghai Museum. Representing the most comprehensive survey of lacquer history and techniques to date, it featured over 200 pieces from Shanghai Museum’s collection, supplemented by significant archaeological finds from Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Changzhou Museum, and others. This guide explores six major lacquer techniques through exemplary works from this exhibition.
2018年11月16日，一個名為「千文萬華——中國歷代漆器藝術展」的大型展覽在上海博物館拉開序幕，該展是一次涵蓋時代最全、涉及工藝最全的漆器展，共遴選上博館藏歷代漆器200餘件，並借展了浙江省博物館、常州博物館、福州市博物館、大同市博物館等單位若干重要的出土漆器珍品。本文將以該展覽中展出的作品為案例，按照六大漆工藝的分類與大家一同品鑑、賞析傳統漆器之美。
Painted Decoration– Narrative Expression
彩繪——敘事性表達
Painted decoration involves surface ornamentation with elegant patterns that harmonize with vessel forms. The Qin Dynasty Painted Cloud and Bird Pattern Zun exemplifies this technique, demonstrating mature painting skills that reflect highly developed lacquer decoration art. Despite centuries, its surface patterns remain clearly visible.
彩繪是一種表面裝飾手法，圖案優美且注重與器皿造型的有機結合。如圖這件秦代的彩繪雲鳥紋漆樽就頗具代表性，圖繪技術成熟，充分反映了當時漆器彩繪裝飾藝術的高度發達，且經過這麼多年，仍然可以清晰看到表面紋樣。
戰國，彩繪漆耳杯
This technique, while relatively common and straightforward, extends beyond pure decoration to narrative expression, often resulting in elaborate compositions.
這種手法並不複雜，也比較多見，並且除了純粹的審美裝飾，彩繪技法也用於敘事性的表達，因此大多較為繁複。
Carved Lacquer– Color and Space Art
雕漆——色彩與空間的藝術
Carved lacquer involves applying dozens to hundreds of lacquer layers onto a base, then carving patterns into the surface. Based on color and carving methods, it includes tihong (carved red), tihuang (carved yellow), etc., representing masterpieces of inherited lacquer art.
雕漆是一種色彩與空間的藝術。即在製好的器胎上層層髹漆數十層乃至百多層，再用刀雕刻出紋飾。按照髹漆的色彩和雕刻方法不同，可以分為剔紅、剔黃等等，乃傳世漆器的代表。
Carved lacquer often favors narrative themes. This Yuan round box features the classic “Picking Chrysanthemums” story carved in red lacquer, rendered with vivid detail and technical mastery. Yet in contemporary context, we might question whether such complex narratives resonate with modern collectors, considering production timelines and aesthetic preferences.
從表達來說，雕漆也偏向敘事。以這件元代的圓形漆盒為例，頂面朱漆雕刻了東籬採菊圖，是人熟知的經典故事，刻畫生動，技法精湛。但轉換到現代語境，且不說製作工期及成本，單說審美趣味，這樣複雜的敘事裝飾是否能夠讓現代人喜歡、購買甚至收藏呢？
明代，雲龍紋八角盒
These tihong piece similarly demonstrate exquisite narrative complexity. Applying the “Three Criteria for Evaluation”:
這件剔紅作品，同樣也是精緻複雜的敘事性表達。我們以前面提到的「評判三把尺」來品鑑一下：
- Formal Beauty: As imperial objects, they exhibit symmetrical, dignified forms with ceremonial presence
形制美：由於都是宮廷用器，造型均以規則、對稱為美，大氣端莊，頗具儀式感 - Technical Beauty: Exceptional craftsmanship with auspicious patterns like lotus scrolls, cloud-dragons, bats, and longevity characters
工藝美：巧奪天工之技，所選擇的圖案也都是纏枝蓮、雲龍紋、蝙蝠、壽字等具有美好寓意的紋樣 - Material Beauty: Carved lacquer emphasizes spatial depth and luxurious texture rather than smooth surfaces, acquiring elegance through aging
材質美：剔紅工藝所展示的漆之特徵並不是光滑平整，而是空間感、層次感以及雍容華貴的氣質
However, while these Ming-Qing pieces remain masterpieces, they risk becoming distant museum pieces. The core issue involves aesthetic alignment: what might young collectors embrace in an era of abstraction, anime, and cyber elements? How can we develop contemporary expressions that resonate across generations?
但是我們不妨想一下，這幾件明清的作品，留存今時也仍是上品，可卻也只能是束之高閣的上品。問題的核心仍然是，審美品味的匹配問題。在這個充斥著抽象、二次元、賽博等元素的今天，我們是否能夠找到一些新穎的、契合時代的表達方式呢？
Plain Lacquering– Understated Elegance
素髹——簡約優雅
Plain lacquering uses single or dual colors—typically vermilion and black—without patterned decoration. This technique reflects ancient sophisticated taste while aligning well with modern aesthetics, seeing frequent contemporary application.
素髹即不裝飾紋樣，僅以單色或雙色漆髹塗，最常見朱黑二色。素髹不僅體現了古人高雅的審美情趣，也是一種較為符合現代人審美的樣式，在現代設計中應用較多。
南宋-元代，黑漆螺鈿樓閣人物圖菱花形盒
These Song-Yuan pieces reveal plain lacquering’s concise, restrained quality—especially compared to painted and carved techniques. Their simplified elegance remains timeless in modern design.
從這兩件宋元時期的黑漆器物不難看出素髹簡潔、內斂的特質，尤其對比前面的彩繪與雕漆，去繁從簡的髹飾韻味，即便放到現代設計也絕不過時。
Generally, plain lacquered objects feature relatively complex forms, while simpler shapes may employ more decorative elements—a principle aligning with modern design philosophy.
此外，從造型與技法的配合來說，素髹的器物往往形制相對複雜；而若其簡練，就可能在裝飾上花費更多筆墨，這一點其實跟現代設計遵循的原理也是相近。
Mother-of-Pearl Inlay– Luminous Texture
螺鈿——流光溢彩
This technique decorates lacquer surfaces with shells from mollusks, clams, and oysters. Main elements use chunk inlays with shallow carving depicting details, creating painting-like refinement and意境.
螺鈿即用螺、蚌、貝等的外殼在漆器表面加以裝飾的工藝。主要景物所嵌鈿片呈塊狀，並以淺刻表現人物的神態、衣紋等，紋樣精細密緻，意境如畫。
Black lacquer often serves as background to highlight pearly surfaces. Artisans compose patterns based on shell colors—beautiful yet time-consuming—suitable for both decoration and narrative expression.
由於貝類多淺，所以能夠更好地起到襯托作用的黑漆常為螺鈿裝飾的底色，許多圖案也是能工巧匠根據彩貝的顏色來構成，精美卻也耗時，既可作華美裝飾，也可以用於敘事性表達。
南宋-元代，黑漆蓮瓣形奁
Mother-of-pearl’s enduring appeal partly stems from its inherent modernity through material collage. The technique remains popular in Japanese lacquer art, developing unique visual languages where abstract patterns arrange regularly—similar to luxury brand logo patterns. Since elaborate narratives aren’t modern design’s priority, we focus more on constructing sophisticated decoration through simple forms.
螺鈿裝飾沒有在時代更迭中遇到太多阻礙，很大程度是因為材質的拼貼組構其實本就具有現代感。繁冗敘事本就不是現代設計的追求，如何用一種簡單的形式構建高級的裝飾語言，才是我們更關注的設計問題。
Gold Decoration– Regal Accents
金飾——華麗點綴
Gold decoration has long traditions in lacquer ware, primarily through qiangjin (engraved gold) and miaojin (painted gold).
漆器的金飾工藝由來已久，品種繁多，最常見的是戧金和描金。
- Qiangjin: Engraving lines into black/red lacquer then filling with gold foil
戧金：在朱漆或黑漆上用針或刀尖刻鏤，再以金箔填充線槽形成金飾 - Miaojin: Directly painting with gold paste, powder, or thread
描金：用金泥、金粉、金線等在表面直接描摹
From modern perspective, both techniques—especially partial gold accents on plain lacquer—offer effective solutions matching contemporary tastes.
從現代設計的視野來看，我認為這兩種金飾工藝都可嘗試，尤其是在素髹的器物上進行局部的金飾，很有效果，也比較符合現代人的審美。
南宋，六出蓮瓣筒
This lotus-petal bucket features silver rims and connectors. Experienced artisans know vessel rims demand precision—especially for boxes requiring exact fits. The metal rim ensures functionality while complementing surface gold through shared luster and texture.
這個蓮瓣桶是可以層層打開的，開合口沿和連接部分為銀質。有過製器經驗的應該都知道，器物口沿部分是最見功夫的，尤其是盒子，想要做到嚴絲合縫容錯很低。這個金屬口沿的設計不僅保障了功能性，還與表面的金飾在光澤與質地上完成了呼應。
Gold’s prominence in lacquer art also relates to color theory. Most classic lacquer pieces use black and red—the most stable colors improving with age—while gold enhances their understated luxury.
事實上，金飾能在漆藝中擁有如此地位，還有色彩的原因。從各種經典館藏漆器不難發現，黑紅是最常見色，主要原因是黑紅色漆最為穩定。而金色與這二者的搭配可提升漆器低調奢華的特徵。
Bodiless Lacquer (脫胎) – Lightweight Mastery
脫胎——輕盈絕技
Fuzhou bodiless lacquerware developed from traditional Chinese lacquer techniques. Its founder Shen Shao’an (Qianlong era) revived ancient zhutai methods while perfecting color mixtures, creating lighter, more brilliant pieces.
福州脫胎漆器是在繼承中國漆藝傳統的基礎上發展起來的獨特工藝。其開創者為清乾隆年間福州府侯官縣沈紹安，他恢復古代紵胎技法，巧配髹漆用色，使漆器更加盈巧艷麗，頗具觀賞性。
Bodiless lacquer enables highly realistic forms, exemplified by this peach-and-lotus display.
脫胎漆器可以完成非常寫實的造型，圖中這件蟠桃荷葉盤擺件就是典型代表。
漆線雕孫悟空戰楊戩
Lacquer thread carving involves rolling lacquer putty (mainly brick ash) into thread-thin ropes, layering them gradually. While traditional methods fade in the 3D-printing era—where people lacquer printed objects for similar effects—these crafts represent invaluable cultural heritage.
漆線雕是將以磚灰為主加了各種成分的漆灰搓成棉線細度的細繩，一層一層疊彈上去。但是在有3D打印的時代，人們會選擇在打印出的成品上做漆，可以快速達到同樣的效果，因此這類工藝已經很少有人在做了。
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