An ongoing exhibition at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, The Marvels of Craftsmanship, showcases imperial crafts and pays tribute to the city's cultural legacy.

The focus is on Beijing's Eight Imperial Handicrafts, or yanjing bajue, namely gold lacquer inlay, filigree inlaid metal art, cloisonne, jade carving, ivory carving, carved lacquerware, Beijing embroidery and palace carpets. Yanjing is one of the old names of Beijing.

Each craft not only reflects the aesthetic sensibilities of its time but is also a testament to the superb craftsmanship that defines Beijing's cultural landscape.

These eight forms of traditional craftsmanship have been included on the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Organized by the Beijing Eight Imperial Handicrafts Museum and the Beijing Eight Imperial Handicrafts Association, some 100 pieces by more than 50 artists and national intangible cultural heritage inheritors are being exhibited at the show, which runs until Aug 4.

"The pieces on display are fine samples of Beijing's rich cultural heritage. They bear the cultural lineage of this ancient city. We want to invite visitors on a journey of exploration and discovery through these valuable artworks," says Bai Qun, director of the museum and head of the association.

"We hope that people will appreciate the beauty and significance of these crafts, ensuring their preservation and appreciation for generations to come."

He adds that the ongoing exhibition is one of the largest of its kind in the country.

The exhibits include relics from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) as well as contemporary works, resulting in a fusion of tradition and modernity that transcends artistic boundaries to create an immersive cultural experience for visitors, Bai adds.

"These old crafts are timeless and still shine today. The diverse artistic expressions of the artisans illuminate the multifaceted beauty of intangible cultural heritage while honoring the dedication and spirit of the artisans of different generations," he explains.

Bai is a national-level inheritor of the craft of gold lacquer inlay, which began to thrive during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The gold lacquer pieces were mostly made for royalty.

The 50-year-old Bai is among the sixth generation of artisans keeping the tradition alive.

According to the introduction written by the Beijing Eight Imperial Handicrafts Museum, a wooden base is made and painted, and then decorative techniques, such as inlay, engraving, and color-filling, are used to embellish.

Following the demise of the Qing Dynasty, this technique, which was originally intended for the court, was taken up by ordinary people.

Bai's father, Bai Deyuan (1947-2019), was also a master artisan of the craft, and worked with the Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Company. The company was founded in 1956 and like many preserving the traditional craft, it experienced difficulties with shrinking orders in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 2003, Bai Deyuan was president of the Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Company and at his urging, Bai Qun joined the company with the goal of helping to revive the craft.

"These eight traditional techniques exemplify the pinnacle of artistic achievement and cultural expression in traditional Chinese craftsmanship," says Bai Qun.

In 2010, along with a group of artists who are national intangible cultural heritage inheritors, Bai Qun opened the Beijing Eight Imperial Handicrafts Museum, which is located inside the Cheng'en Temple, a site dating to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

"Through meticulous craftsmanship and artistic innovation, these crafts continue to enrich our understanding of China's cultural heritage and artistic traditions," he adds.

Bai Qun's Eight Treasures of Prosperity Ruyi Decorative Plate, a piece decorated with dragons, sunflowers and ruyi (an auspicious totem, which has an S-shaped handle and a head resembling a lingzhi mushroom) is among the artworks selected for the exhibition.

Bi Hong, an artisan of the form of embroidery known as jingxiu, also has a piece on display at the exhibition. The long blue embroidered gown with loose sleeves and a green skirt took four years to finish.

"The outfit was inspired by a Qing Dynasty outfit displaying at the Palace Museum in Beijing. I rooted my work in the traditional jingxiu technique, which is known for its bright colors and vivid imagery, mostly symbolizing royalty," Bi says.

She also displays one of her collections, a Qing Dynasty robe with a silk embroidered pattern of purple orchids and hundreds of butterflies.

A striking display of four panel screens with carved lacquer that resemble ancient guqin instruments captivates visitors with its fusion of artistic elegance and historical resonance.

Created by Yin Xiuyun, 77, the screens draw inspiration from poems performed to the music of the guqin, a traditional seven-stringed zither.

The exhibition also pays tribute to the late artisan Zhang Tonglu (1942-2022), who was renowned for his mastery of cloisonne, a technique for creating intricate designs on metal using colored enamel. Among his works on display are vessels and ornamental pieces featuring motifs like Tibetan antelopes.