Crafting heritage: Art trio reveals the ideas behind their creations

Three heritage artists – Nanjing Yunjin brocade inheritor Dai Meng, Jingdezhen ceramic artist Liu Yang, and Beijing velvet flower inheritor Cai Zhiwei – are set to share the techniques and cultural meaning behind their artworks, guiding visitors in appreciating the precious value of their respective art forms.

The event is scheduled to take place on Friday alongside an ongoing Intangible Heritage Reborn exhibition in Beijing, which puts over 30 artworks on display.

Cai Zhiwei's exhibited works span traditional collectibles and contemporary creations.

His large-scale piece Dragon Emerging from the Sea uses velvet flowers to depict a dragon breaking through waves, showcasing the majestic momentum and elegance of fingertip craftsmanship.

Liu Yang demonstrates her innovative powers through ultra-thin 1-millimeter porcelain.

Using Jingdezhen high-white clay and jade clay, she fires the work in an electric kiln at 1240 to 1250°C, then hand-cuts, assembles and refines the gossamer-thin porcelain pieces into triangular units.

Nanjing Yunjin brocade inheritor Dai Meng displays a 1:1 reproduction made between 1979 and 1983, replicating the dragon robe fabric discovered in Ming Dynasty emperor Wanli’s tomb.

Yunjin brocade originated in the Wu Kingdom in the 3rd century AD and was reserved for imperial use.

It was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

These artists are expected to appear in person at their exhibition to explain their craft in detail.