Centuries of history in one exhibition

Chinese folk arts and crafts have a long history and were essential items for diplomats on foreign trips in ancient times. The National Art Museum of China has compiled the very best of these works into the Chinese Arts and Crafts Exhibition, which is now on in Beijing.

Choosing what to include was truly a daunting task given the vast number of impressive creations throughout the country's history.

Covering all nine halls on the museum's first floor are 350 objects chosen from 31 provinces and regions on the mainland. They represent the first exhibition on Chinese folk arts and crafts in the museum's 46-year history.

The exhibits are invariably being chosen for their fine craftsmanship and ingenious design.

The centerpiece of the main hall is an emerald cabbage by Jiangsu artists Jiang Chunyuan and Shi Qingmei. The stone has a clear and bright texture, the carving of the cabbage leaves is different in every fold and the devil horse resting on the stalk seems ready to jump away if visitors get too close.

Another jade ware is a clumsy and lovable rhino, designed by Gao Jinyi, a Jiangsu folk artist. The neat and elegant use of the chisel has brought the rotund beast to life.

Another ivory carving depicts 108 children celebrating the birthday of the God of Longevity. Li Dingning, an artist for 60 years, employed various chisel techniques during carving.

The exhibition features works by masters from the 50s to the 70s but most are by emerging artists from the 80s and 90s. For every folk artist, though, the National Art Museum of China is the place they want to be shown. The exhibition not only realizes their ambitions, but also points to a future path.

Yang Bingyan, deputy director of the National Art Museum of China, says: "There are two concepts in curating this show. Firstly, the exhibition pays tribute to Chinese traditional arts to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China, in 2009. Secondly, while some of the artistic value is lost during inheritance, the exhibition will help facilitate the change from crafts to arts, from craftsman to artists."

Family workshops are where most folk arts and crafts are practiced and handed down. A folk craftsman could either take an apprentice or teach the craft but in the 1950s, a considerable number of specialty schools were established to expand the potential for the skills to be passed down. The arts blossomed, branching into more than 1,800 categories. Now, more than 2 million people are in the industry, with an extra 15 million in the countryside.

Since 1979, more than 350 have qualified as craftsmasters at State-level and 1,400 at provincial level. In 2008, 17 Chinese artists gained the Asia Pacific Region Craftsmaster Award.

Although a few have formidable titles, the vast number of folk craftsmen have little fame or fortune.

Wang Shan, secretary of the China Arts and Crafts Association, says: "Our jade carving artists, sculptors, and pottery masters have worked in Spartan conditions. They have spent years on a single work and to exclude them from the range of artists will be a huge mistake. That the National Art Museum of China has invited them back to museums, acknowledge their labor and give them due respect is a move we all should applaud."

The Chinese Arts and Crafts will run throughout the spring festival holidays to Feb 10.