Hu Xin makes pigment for lacquer painting at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 20, 2019.  (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Gold inlaid lacquer, an integral part of painted and inlaid lacquer, is among the eight Beijing-style handicrafts. Gold inlaid lacquer ware combines the intricate skills of carving, filling, whetting, inlaying and painting. It features a gold lacquered surface inlaid with various gems and other exotic materials. 

Hu Xin, a 62-year-old senior arts and crafts master of Beijing, has been dedicated to designing and creating lacquer wares for about 43 years. The art has received a new lease on life thanks to the efforts made by Hu to innovate technical methods, especially in gold lacquer inlaid painting techniques. 

Dozens of her gold inlaid lacquer works have received a series of accolades at home and abroad, including gold award of the Hundred Flowers of Chinese Arts and Crafts. To better promote the art, Hu has trained ten apprentices, some of whom have been recognized as the representative inheritors of gold lacquer inlaid painting techniques. 

Apart from that, she has been committed to passing on the craft since 2015 by teaching students gold lacquer inlaid production techniques in a specialist course jointly launched by Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. and Beijing Senior Technical School of Arts and Crafts.

Hu Xin works on a gold lacquer painting at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019. 

Hu Xin (1st R) explains the art of mural at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 20, 2019. 

Hu Xin (R) explains the methods of lacquer painting to a student at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019. 

Hu Xin (2nd R) explains a gold inlaid lacquer work at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019. 

Hu Xin (R) explains the application of lacquer painting pigment to a student at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019. 

Hu Xin (1st R) and her students display gold lacquer screens at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 20, 2019. 

Hu Xin works on a gold lacquer screen at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019.

Hu Xin (R) and her colleague work on gold lacquer screens at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019. 

Hu Xin works on a gold lacquer painting at Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2019.