The carved lacquer of China (tiao ch'i) which, although imi tated in Japan was never equalled in that country (as the Chinese have never reached the perfection of the Japanese gold lacquer ware), needs particular notice. In this, the lacquer was built up in the method above described, but to a considerable thickness; and, when several colours were used, in successive layers of each colour, arranged in the order in which they were to predominate and of uniform thickness. When the whole mass was complete and homogeneous, it was cut back from the surface, so as to ex pose each colour as required by the design. The carving was done with a V-shaped tool kept very sharp, and when the lacquer was cold and hard. The cutting was done with amazing precision—no correction of faults was possible, for each layer had to be exactly and accurately reached, and the final result precisely foreseen and allowed for from the beginning of the work. The red lacquer (tan sha), so well known and justly appreciated, was coloured with cin nabar (red sulphuret of mercury). Other colours which are em ployed include a deep and a lighter olive-green, buff, brown, black and aubergine.
In Japanese lacquer, the following are the chief processes used :—Nashiji (pear-skin), small flakes of gold or silver sunk to various depths in the lacquer. Fundame; fine gold or silver powder worked to a flat, dull surface. Hirame, small, irregularly
shaped pieces of sheet gold or silver placed on the surface. Togi dashi, the design built up to the surface in gold, silver and colours with many coats of lacquer and then polished down to show them. Takamakiye, decoration in bold relief. Hiramakiye, decoration in low relief. Roiro, polished black. Chinkinbori, engraved lacquer. Kirikane, square dice of sheet gold or silver, inserted separately on the surface. Raden, inlaid shell and metal. From the earliest times of which we have record, shell was used in the adornment of lacquer in China as well as in Japan, being inlaid on the surface in patterns, as well as in small squares like kirikane and dust. For this purpose various shells were used, mother-of-pearl for larger work and that of nautilus, pear-shell, sea-ear (Haliotis, Jap. Awabi) and Turbo Cornutus (Jap. Sazaye). For a very charm ing form, called by the French Lac Burgautee, the shell of the sea-ear, of iridescent blue and green, was employed in combina tion with gold and silver and delicately engraved, as early as the Ming period (A.D. 1368-1644) and also in Japan. Chinese lacquer was also inlaid with hard stones such as jade, malachite, as well as coral, soapstone, ivory, porcelain and other decorative sub stances.