Urushi, an ancient term, seems to have been forgotten in modern society. Because it is too durable, it is on the verge of being lost, which can be said to be the most aggrieved intangible cultural heritage in Chinese history.
Lacquer, also known as lacquer, soil lacquer, and national lacquer, is a natural lacquer liquid cut from the lacquer tree, which is mainly composed of urushiol, laccase, gum and water. Furniture painted with it can be done for thousands of years without decay.
The lacquer coffin and lacquerware that have been in Mawangdui are the best proof. After more than 2,000 years of burial, it is still as bright as new.
However, it is not easy to get such a precious lacquer, because of the special material of lacquer, it is said that some people will itch all over the body when they look at the lacquer, and they will be full of sores when they touch it, so the lacquer tree is generally planted in the depths of the mountains far away from the people, the lacquer craftsman will use bamboo strips and wooden sticks to make a simple climbing ladder before collecting the lacquer, and after finding a suitable position, open an opening for the lacquer tree to discharge the water vapor inside, and stay until half a month later, and then cut off a layer of bark on the surface of the original opening. The milky white lacquer juice will slowly seep out, and then use a brush to collect it little by little, and dozens of lacquer trees can only collect a thin layer of lacquer juice, inherent in the saying of "a hundred miles and a thousand knives and a pound of lacquer".
Compared with the difficulty of picking lacquer, lacquering is a particular job, first of all, the furniture that needs to be painted is polished smooth, so as to be better painted, and then mixed with fine sand ash in the lacquer, evenly smeared on the surface voids and uneven places, after brushing the first lacquered furniture, it needs to be placed in a specific temperature environment to be naturally dry, the furniture after drying presents a bright black, then the surface of the furniture is covered with a layer of cotton cloth, and then the batch of ash is polished, so repeated three times, the furniture produced is more solid and durable, The last step is to apply the lacquer, filter the lacquer and put it into the pot to boil, whether the lacquer is clear and high-quality, all depends on the experience of the craftsman for many years, the boiled lacquer needs to be wiped on the furniture with bare hands, pressed over and over again, until the palm is slightly hot, the paint can be completely integrated, the furniture with good lacquer is not only as bright as a mirror, but also passed down from generation to generation, and it is precisely because it is too durable, resulting in no repurchase, and the lacquer has come to the point of being on the verge of being lost.
Raw lacquer has a wide range of uses, not only as an industrial raw material such as paints, inks, and oil cloths, but also for making lacquerware, lacquer paintings, and other works of art. In ancient times, lacquer was a tribute to the royal family and a favorite creative material for literati and artists. They use lacquer to create exquisite lacquerware and lacquer paintings, showing the unique charm and value of lacquer.
Although we are facing some challenges and dilemmas in modern society, as long as we can fully understand its value, give full play to its advantages and inherit its culture, can we better protect and utilize this precious natural resource and make it shine with new brilliance in modern society.