Innovative approaches breathe new life into the millennium-old Pingyao lacquerware handicraft techniques, promoting the protection and preservation of these varnished lacquerwares in the ancient city of Pingyao in north China's Shanxi Province.

This hand-polished lacquerware unique to Pingyao is recognized as one of the four representative lacquerwares of China.

The art form dates back more than 1,200 years to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). As the ancient town became a national financial center in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Pingyao's hand-polished lacquer art, fueled by the huge demand from wealthy bankers, reached its peak.

The Pingyao lacquerware of northern Shanxi Province was among the first batch to be listed as national intangible cultural heritages in China in 2006.

Lacquerware refers to objects decoratively covered with lacquer. The varnished Pingyao lacquer wares are made of natural raw lacquer unique to China and varnished using a special hand technique. Then through embedding, sculpting, carving, mosaics and colored painting, the lacquer ware is decorated with patterns of mountains and waters, flowers and birds, figures and pavilions. Finally ornaments made of copper are installed, and the varnished lacquer wares are carefully finished.

A craftsman must learn painting for at least four years and master the basic painting skills before he or she could make lacquer ware.

"It is renowned for its three-dimensional feature, resembling three-dimensional buildings and stones rather than being planar," said Xue Shengjin, a master artist and also an inheritor of the national-level intangible cultural heritage.

From the perspective of craftsmanship, a notable feature of Pingyao lacquerware is the final polishing performed with the palm of the hand.

"The longer it is polished, the brighter this piece of handicraft becomes. It requires half an hour of polishing," said Hou Gang, a craftsman of the Pingyao lacquerware.

In recent years, the creative scope of Pingyao lacquerware has extended to a diverse range of objects, such as exquisite jewelry boxes, cutlery, pendants, folding screens, furniture, and ornamental vases.

"This is a new bag I want to create this time through our unique Pingyao's hand-polished lacquer art. Additionally, I plan to use 3D printing technology to assemble some of its components," said Li Rui, another inheritor of Pingyao's hand-polished lacquerware art.

"The inheritance of intangible cultural heritage craft has no shortcuts. It relies on step-by-step teaching. So far, we have trained nearly 300 lacquer artisans. Adhering to the principles of pure handicraft techniques and the use of natural materials, we hope to exert our utmost efforts as inheritors to ensure the continuous development of Pingyao's lacquerware handicraft techniques," said Xue Xiaodong, a master artist, also an inheritor of Pingyao's hand-polished lacquerware art.

During the summer holiday period, the intangible cultural heritage experience program in ancient city of Pingyao has attracted young visitors from all over the country to explore its history and culture. A local inheritor of the craft skillfully has sowed the seed of intangible cultural heritage in children's hearts.