In addition to cloisonne, inlaid gold lacquerware is also sure to grab attention with its luxurious and elegant vibe at the exhibition. A red hanging panel with a gold inlaid fu, a Chinese character meaning "blessings", brings an air of festivity to the zone.
"We put a guest-greeting pine right under the panel to welcome international guests to China," says Gao Yun, inheritor of the national intangible culture heritage.
Gold lacquer inlaying is an important category of traditional lacquer crafts and boasts a history of more than 7,000 years. Beijing was an important lacquerware production area in Chinese history. Today's gold lacquer inlaying has mainly carried forward crafts, techniques and art styles from the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It has been applied to utensils, furniture, screens, plaques and wall decorations.
In addition to the Yanjing eight palace handicrafts, there are many works reflecting folk life in the city.
The rabbit god, known as tu'er ye in Chinese, has also made its way to the exhibition zone. The rabbit features a human body and a rabbit's ears and mouth. It is not only a local handicraft that symbolizes happiness and good luck, but also a popular clay toy for children during traditional festivals.
"It has been a mascot for many households in Beijing," says Shuang Yan, a craftsman of the clay works.
The rabbit was traditionally believed to be a deity on the moon in charge of health and medicine. A legend goes that Beijing once suffered a plague before Mid-Autumn Festival. The Chinese moon goddess, Chang'e, dispatched the rabbit to cure the disease. An iconic image of the rabbit god is one that wears a golden helmet and armor holding a pestle, a tool for pounding materials into medicine.
