Suzhou's master artisans strive to revive delicate authenticity

On par with the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Qianlong's high-profile love for calligraphy and paintings is his fascination with jade. During his reign from 1736 to 1796, the emperor's obsession led to an unprecedented elevation in jade craftsmanship.

In his lifetime, Emperor Qianlong wrote around 800 poems in appreciation of jade that expressed his joy and admiration of craftsmanship, especially when he received a truly precious piece.

Among the numerous jade artifacts that caught the emperor's eye and inspired his poetry were Hindustani jade vessels originating from the Mughal Empire, which ruled India from the 16th to 19th centuries.

These eggshell-thin, almost translucent, items, such as bowls, plates, teapots, vases and incense burners, featuring novelty shapes and intricately carved floral and foliage patterns, were well-polished and sometimes inlaid with gold, silver and gems.

To expand production, the emperor summoned veteran craftsmen from Jiangnan, the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River — Suzhou and Yangzhou in today's Jiangsu province in particular — to the imperial court.

For thousands of years, this region, rich in elegance and literati temperament, has been filled with artisans whose carvings have realized the material's imagery association with human virtue.

In his later years, Emperor Qianlong made the decision to cease the production of the delicate and resource-intensive Hindustani style due to its high costs in raw materials, labor, and time. Subsequently, the craft was gradually forgotten.

See also: Carving out a symbol of virtue

Column: Hands of Time