As shown in the picture, “The Goldfish Bowl” is a big basin painted in green on the outer surface, and eight red-and-white goldfishes are painted swimming within, vivid and lifelike. By taking the method of gold drawing, the fish scale has a striking resemblance to the real one. When you pour some water into the bowl, the goldfishes seem to come to life. It is said that the goldfishes look so real that even the cat mistakes them for real ones, and all its effort to catch them in vain that it truly gets pissed off. Therefore, the work is also called “qisi mao” (literally, maddening the cat). This piece of work is Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware. “The Goldfish Bowl” makes full use of the translucent characteristic of the lacquer, and after fish sketching, drawing gold, drawing silver, painting and polishing processes, the scene of a group of goldfish swimming in the water comes to life, with its own distinctive feature. Moreover, the Chinese character “鱼” (fish) is homophonic with “余” (surplus), so it is a symbol of auspiciousness.


Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware（福州脱胎漆器：Fúzhōu tuōtāi qīqì） is an art treasure with distinctive ethnic style and strong local characteristics, dubbed as one of the “Three Treasures” of traditional Chinese handcrafts together with cloisonné in Beijing and the porcelain in Jingdezhen of Jiangxi Province. Enjoying a widespread fame home and abroad, Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware is reputed as “rare black gem” and “oriental treasure”.

Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware finds its development by inheriting the outstanding lacquer ware culture of ancient China. Its variety outnumbers that of any other lacquer type nationwide, big ones including the lacquer painting screens, color-painted lacquer vase, bronze-looking bodiless lacquer lions, etc displayed in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and small ones including smoking set, tea set, bowls, plates, dishware, jars, and so on, over 1200 types and varieties in 18 categories in total. All the bodiless lacquer ware has solid and light quality as well as elaborate design.

Featuring rich decoration techniques and bright and harmonious color, Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware gathers together all the beautiful elements, displaying remarkable artistic charm. Guo Moruo highly praised the lacquer ware when he was alive, lauding it as “unparalleled in heaven and unique on earth.”

Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware usually featured Buddha images or legendary figures in its early stage, later natural being and bio-simulation theme has been developed gradually, which makes the lacquer works more colorful and having higher artistic value.