Old is gold

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Yu Jing, who runs an embroidery studio in the capital, says people today are keen to include traditional handicrafts as part of their daily decorations. That gives artisans the opportunity to keep the crafts alive.

"Before making an embroidery piece, for example, one has to consider where it can be used," she says, adding that in the olden days, artisans usually didn't design but just followed certain patterns or paintings.

"But today, we need more expertise to design the patterns at the very beginning, and make the clothes in the end."

According to Zhong Liansheng, a national-level master of cloisonne enamel, the exhibition represents a revival of Beijing's traditional craftsmanship, which once endured difficulties.

"Those articles used to only be exported and had low domestic consumption in the 1980s," Zhong recalls.

When export demand fell, the skills lost appeal.

"The old master-apprentice model was in crisis."

It is therefore necessary to train potential inheritors when they are young, he says.

"A good thing is that many exhibits today are actually works by students in schools," he says.

Wang Shijie, head of the Beijing Senior Technical School of Arts and Crafts, says his school now has more than 1,500 students honing their skills in traditional craftsmanship.