As one of the representatives of China’s gold and silver ornaments craftsmanship, Jiangdu Gold and Silver Ornaments Craftsmanship was listed by the State Council as the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects.
It originated in the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, peaked in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and improved in the 1970s.
Made of gold, silver, platinum and various jade, pearls, corals, etc., jewelry, accessories, decorations and utensils are designed and created through a variety of unique techniques such as carving, inlaying, wire inlaying, gilding, and calendering.
In November 2008, the Qibao Ashoka Tower was suddenly founded in Nanjing Changgan Temple, which is a Buddhist sacred object and also a masterpiece of gold and silver ornaments craftsmanship. There are six “Yangzhou” marks and one “Gaoyou” mark that indicate “Made In Yangzhou”. This further proves that the skills of gold and silver ornaments in the Song Dynasty have already reached a quite high level.
Nowadays, a group of young gold and silver ornaments craftsmen who are expanding their ideas and making progress have applied the ancient techniques of metal crafts to various public facilities and furniture decoration, as well as instruments and stationery, and have been working hard to inherit and develop traditional craftsmanship.
