A pristine white fan surface glides gently into water, as traditional Chinese lacquer swirls and dances with the ripples before settling into an elegant Oriental pattern. This fan, crafted using the ancient drift-lacquer technique, is one of the signature works by Professor Zheng Yong and his team at Tiangong University.
What makes these works truly remarkable is not merely their aesthetic appeal, but their role in resurrecting a lost chapter of Chinese craftsmanship. Pottery-based lacquerware, which traces its origins to thousands of years ago, was lost for over a millennium due to the extreme complexity of its techniques and its fragile transmission. Its revival was achieved not by traditional workshops, but by a young university team led by the 39-year-old Zheng.
"We use fragments from the past to infer the wisdom of our ancestors, then verify and interpret it through modern scientific methods," Zheng said. "This journey from loss to rebirth proves that our ancestors' ingenuity was no legend. It can withstand scientific scrutiny, be mastered by our generation, and be proudly shared with the world."
Decoding an ancient craft
Pottery-based lacquerware represents a remarkable fusion of two seemingly incompatible materials: inorganic ceramic clay and organic lacquer. Replicating a craft extinct for over a thousand years was extraordinarily challenging. A single piece demands more than 10 intricate steps: forming the base, baking, layering, patterning, grinding and polishing, often spanning over a year.
"The ceramic is the bone, lacquer is the clothing," Zheng explained. "Achieving the perfect bonding is like turning two people with entirely different personalities into lifelong friends. You must discover their resonance."
After hundreds of failures, a distinctive style emerged. He combined high-level heritage skills, such as thousand-year-old jump-knife patterns and Tang Dynasty gold-thread inlay, with the warm texture of pottery bases and the depth of lacquer.
Science bridges the gap
Early efforts hit repeated bottlenecks due to material incompatibility. Shelves of failed works in the studio bear witness to these struggles. A breakthrough came when multidisciplinary teams from materials science, textile science and computing joined forces. Materials scientists analyzed interfaces under microscopes and introduced surface modifiers as "molecular interpreters." Textile experts incorporated ceramic fibers into the clay, creating a lighter, microporous structure after firing that provided better anchors for lacquer layers. Computer specialists used 3D scanning and sensors to map microscopic stress distributions.
"We used scientific data and microscopic analysis to prove our ancestors relied not on magic, but on extraordinarily refined empirical techniques," Zheng said.
From museums to modern life
A single piece requires 60 to 80 layers of lacquer and more than a year of dedicated work. To make the craft viable, Zheng's team introduced constant-temperature and humidity drying systems, sensors, and digital drying curves that maintain quality while significantly shortening production time.
"Technology is an accelerator, not a shortcut for laziness," Zheng emphasized. "We want lacquerware to live in the present, not merely lie in museums." The team has re-engineered traditional designs into contemporary tea sets, incense utensils and desk accessories that blend minimalist aesthetics with ergonomic functionality.
"When young people find it cool to drink tea from a lacquer cup, lacquerware has truly returned to daily life," he noted.
It took him roughly 15 years to revive the craft. To young people interested in preservation, he advises: "Don't fear the cold bench. Be willing to become guardians of time. In this fast-paced era, slow down to deeply engage with the craft. In every cut, chisel and brushstroke of lacquer lies a quiet strength capable of withstanding modern clamor."