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Sancai 三彩 is a versatile type of decoration on Chinese pottery predominantly in the three colours of brown (or amber), green, and white. It is particularly associated with the Tang dynasty (618–907), appearing around 700 AD.

Because the Tang Sancai is unearthed in Luoyang earliest and is found the most there, it is also called "Luoyang Tang Sancai. It was easier and therefore cheaper to make than Chinese porcelain or celadon, and suitable for making large figures.

Sancai travelled along the Silk Road, to be later extensively used in Arab, Cypriot, and Italian pottery from the 13th to the 15th century. Sancai also became a popular style in Japanese and other East Asian ceramic arts, such as Nagayo ware.

Under the Qing dynasty (1644–1910), sancai ware was one of several ancient/medieval Chinese styles revived at a high quality level, reflecting the antiquarian tastes of the emperors.

Chinese cloisonné (known locally as “jingtailan” 景泰蓝) from the Qing dynasty.

Cloisonné is first recorded during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) and it has been suggested that the technique was introduced to China at that time via the southwestern province of Yunnan, which under Mongol rule, was ruled by Muslim governors and received an influx of Islamic people. Foreign influence (Byzantine and Islamic) contributed to the development of Chinese cloisonné in the 13–14th centuries. The earliest datable pieces being from the reign of the Xuande Emperor (1425–35), which show a full use of Chinese styles, suggesting experience in the technique by that time.

Cloisonné objects were intended primarily for the furnishing of temples and palaces, because their flamboyant splendor was considered appropriate for these structures, but not well suited to a more restrained atmosphere, such as that of a scholars home. It was also dismissed by some as appealing to feminine taste and being “suitable only for a lady's chambers”.

Penjing 盆景, also known as penzai 盆栽, is the ancient Chinese art of depicting artistically formed trees, other plants, and landscapes in miniature.

Chinese cultural hegemony gave the practice influence over other cultures, engendering bonsai and saikei in Japan, as well as the miniature living landscapes of hòn non bộ in Vietnam.

Since at least the 1st century AD, Taoist mysticism has included the recreating of magical sites in miniature to focus and increase the properties found in the full-size sites. There were legends dating from at least the 3rd and 4th centuries of Taoists said to have had the power to shrink whole landscapes down to small vessel size. The earliest-known graphic dates from 706 AD and it shows two maid servants carrying penjing with miniature trees.

(all the artifacts in this post date back to the Qing era)

Chinese gold vessels known as zhihu 执壶, mostly used for wine (rice wine, grape wine, grains wine, etc) from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Since ancient times, gold has been considered in China a symbol of wealth and social status. Gold was usually reserved for decoration or the making of luxury objects, such as ceremonial tableware and jewellery.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the production of gold objects and ornaments developed widely. Some of the most beautiful pieces were enhanced with precious stones: rubies, spinels, blue, yellow or green sapphires, or any other rare material, such as white or green jade, freshwater pearls, and kingfisher feathers.

Given the value of the metal from which these objects are made, they are relatively rare survivors. As most of the gold items produced during this period were intended for personal use – and not as tomb goods – the ones that have survived are linked to the imperial family.

Guangzhou ivory carving 广州象牙雕刻 from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Qing Dynasty.

Guangdong ivory carving started in the Han Dynasty when China still had its own species of elephant (before 100 BC). Ivory products are also found in the tombs of the local Nanyue Kingdom.

Ivory carving became prosperous in the Ming and Qing dynasties that Cantonese craftsmen were recruited to Beijing to serve the imperial family. Developing large models of houses and other large and showy pieces.

This art is still somewhat popular in the region today, but the ivory has been replaced by contemporary artists with other materials such as animals bones, due to ivory trade becoming illegal.

(The artifacts in this post date to the Qing era)

Carved green jade vase with coral flowers. China, 20th century.

Carved dark jade vase with coral branches. China, 19th century.

Carved prasiolite (green quartz) vase with coral branches. China, 20th century.

Gemstone carving is one of China's most ancient and important art forms. It is a craft steeped in history and tradition, continually reflecting the philosophy and culture of the Chinese people.

By traditional Chinese definition, hardstones are divided into two categories: jade, which is the mineral nephrite, and all other precious and semi-precious stones. Jade is considered the most esteemed gem of all and associated with many desirable qualities in humans.

TianTsui or DianCui 点翠 "dotting with kingfishers" is a style of Chinese art featuring kingfisher feathers.

For 2,000 years, the Chinese have been using the iridescent blue feathers of kingfisher birds as an inlay for fine art objects and adornment, from hairpins, headdresses, and fans to panels and screens. While Western art collectors have focused on other areas of Chinese art including porcelain, lacquer ware, sculpture, cloisonné, silk and paintings, kingfisher art is relatively unknown outside of China.

With kingfisher birds becoming a protected species, contemporary artisans have turned to innovative substitutes instead of kingfisher feathers, such as blue-dyed silk and synthetic feathers.

Here’s a miniature model of a Chinese garden, colored with blue kingfisher feathers. Qing dynasty, 19th century.

GongDeng 宫灯 palace lanterns, also known as court lanterns, are a distinctive type of traditional Chinese lantern and a hallmark of Chinese craftsmanship.

As the name suggests, palace lanterns were initially used in the imperial palace. They are typically made with a delicate wooden frame, adorned with silk gauze or glass, and painted with various decorative patterns. These lanterns are celebrated for their elegance and regal courtly style. Used primarily within the court.

The lanterns in this post are from the Qing Dynasty and are made out of Zitan (red sandalwood)