Masterpieces on display represent the country's arts and crafts development over the past 70 years, Yang Feiyue reports.

A coral sculpture featuring a six-armed standing Buddha holding a chain that tightly restrains a dragon, two boxwood figurines fashioned after a model worker and a Red Army soldier, and a set of cloisonne trophies bearing images of athletes in various sports and traditional motifs, such as entwined lotus patterns, tell tales of China's history.

The Buddha and dragon work symbolize Yellow River flood protection and realignment during the early days following the founding of the People's Republic of China, while the model worker and Red Army soldier depict the fervent socialist construction era and arduous journey of the revolutionary war period from the 1920s to the 1940s, says Wang Jingjing, deputy general manager of the Beijing Gongmei Group and curator of the exhibition, being held at the Beijing Arts and Crafts Museum until Feb 28.

The exhibition Walking With Time: Beijing Gongmei (1954-2024) is hosted by the Beijing Gongmei Group, a major force behind the country's arts and crafts development for the past 70 years.

The objects exhibited were created by experienced artisans and are among dozens of masterpieces on display that showcase the inheritance and development of China's arts and crafts for the past 70 years.

The exhibition is meticulously planned — exhibits were widely sourced, systematically tracing the 70-year developmental journey of arts and crafts, says Chairman of the group Duan Tiyu.

"It carefully selected the most representative achievements to showcase the remarkable accomplishments and profound impact of the Beijing Gongmei Group in the field of arts and crafts from a comprehensive and multifaceted perspective," Duan says.

The cloisonne trophies were intended for the country's second National Games in Beijing in 1965, Wang says.

"They are among the masterpieces that transcend time and space, connecting the past with the future and bearing witness to the nation's remarkable progress," she adds.

The 70th-anniversary retrospective exhibition is structured around three main themes — Marching with the Times, Harnessing the Power of Arts and Crafts and Offering a Tribute to the Nation.

The Marching with the Times section showcases a series of pieces with distinctive characteristics of different eras — from the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China when everything needed rebuilding to the vitality that followed the reform and opening-up and the prosperity of the new era.

"The craftsmen of Beijing have, through their immortal skills, captured moments of history and fragments of life, making them eternal," Wang says.

The Flower-Basket Plate, a three-dimensional carved lacquerwork, is at the front and center of the section, representing a breakthrough in the traditional craft that has been passed down for nearly 2,000 years.

"With a diameter of 38 centimeters and a thickness of 5 centimeters, the piece by master Du Bingchen achieves not only a richly detailed effect but also greatly enhances the three-dimensionality, spatial depth and artistic expression of lacquer art," Wang says.

It took Du 20 years to master the hollow carving technique, which involves adding more than 500 layers of lacquer to the brass base as opposed to the traditional dozens of layers.

Each layer of the brilliant vermilion lacquer requires 4-5 hours to partially dry, making it a lengthy process.

"While the lacquer is semi-dry, intricate designs are applied, followed by carving, shaving and engraving using special tools," Wang explains.

The plate's central motif features a bamboo-like woven basket filled with flowers, including peonies, peach and plum blossoms and chrysanthemums.

It showcases the elegance and vitality of flowers from all seasons with a background meticulously engraved with fine brocade patterns resembling a silk tapestry that accentuates the vibrant blossoms, Wang explains.

Further into the exhibition, the Harnessing the Power of Arts and Crafts section gathers materials bearing historical memories collected from various places, including precious craft manuscripts, visual materials and historical goods.

The objects cover early cloisonne prototypes and books that recorded imperial carpet patterns and embroidery stitching methods from the 1970s to the 1980s.

"These objects tell the stories of craftsmanship, innovation and heritage, reflecting the dedication and perseverance of the artisans who contributed to the development of arts and crafts," Wang says.

The last section Offering a Tribute to the Nation displays the national-level design and production tasks undertaken by the Beijing Gongmei Group over the years, from the magnificent opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and APEC China 2014 to the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held over the years.

"They reflect the country's progress in a unique way, bearing witness to the nation's rise on the international stage," Wang says.

For instance, the emblem of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, also known as Dancing Beijing, was considered the jewel of the crown in the section.

It is made of Hotan jade that was sourced from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and its parameters were carefully designed to carry special symbolic and cultural significance, Wang says.

The seal's edge measures 112 millimeters, representing 112 years, from the first modern Olympics in 1896 to 2008.

The seal's pedestal stands 200.8 millimeters high, signifying the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Its base is 56 millimeters high, with each side featuring 14 floral petals, symbolizing China's 56 ethnic groups.

The top of the seal is adorned with an image of the Temple of Heaven, representing Beijing, while the four sides are engraved with interconnected Great Wall motifs, symbolizing China as a whole.

"The use of Hotan jade also carries multiple connotations," Wang says.

"For example, jade's smooth and warm qualities represent the Olympic spirit of peace and unity while its untainted clarity embodies nobility and integrity," she explains.

When the emblem was made public in 2003, the then International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said the new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China embodied in its heritage and people.

"In this emblem, I saw the promise and potential of a new Beijing and a great Olympics. This is a milestone in the history of your Olympic quest," Rogge said.

At the exhibition launch ceremony, the book Chinese Craftsmanship Behind National Gifts was released, with the goal of having more people appreciate the charm of traditional crafts and intangible cultural heritage skills.

"We hope the exhibition and book will inspire people to engage in the protection, inheritance and innovation of traditional arts and crafts and intangible cultural heritage skills, allowing these arts to shine with greater brilliance," Wang says.

Tang Kemei, director of the experts committee of the China National Arts and Crafts Society, notes that many arts and crafts education and research institutes have been established over the past seven decades, laying a solid foundation for the continuous inheritance and innovation in the field.

Artworks developed by the Beijing Gongmei Group have made their way into more than 200 embassies worldwide.

"This effectively promotes our traditional arts and crafts," Tang says.

"The exceptional masterpieces (at the exhibition) that have come into being since the founding of the People's Republic of China will be a significant contribution to China's history and passed on to our descendants," she adds.