We'd already seen a fair amount of sites on the first day of touring in Beijing, but we still hadn't made it to the Great Wall, which was on the 
itinerary for the afternoon, though we didn't know it when we left.
We stopped for lunch, where we were treated to a great spread. My companions were two retired women from Australia, a man from Germany, but who worked in Shanghai, and his partner who was from Thailand, and another couple from Russia.
Once we devoured our
great meal, we were taken to a Cloisonné (claw-son-nay) Factory. The entry way showed some fine examples of the various stages that this art work has taken. Cloisonné, an ancient metalworking technique, is a multi-step enamel process used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items. Beijing is the cradle of cloisonné technique.
itinerary for the afternoon, though we didn't know it when we left.We stopped for lunch, where we were treated to a great spread. My companions were two retired women from Australia, a man from Germany, but who worked in Shanghai, and his partner who was from Thailand, and another couple from Russia.
Once we devoured our
great meal, we were taken to a Cloisonné (claw-son-nay) Factory. The entry way showed some fine examples of the various stages that this art work has taken. Cloisonné, an ancient metalworking technique, is a multi-step enamel process used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items. Beijing is the cradle of cloisonné technique. 
Originally it started as a design work using metal filaments which were fused to the surface of an object to outline a design. This progressed in later centures to that of filling these designs with enamel paste.
The earliest and existing cloisonne is the product in Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368).
During the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), cloisonne improved and reached its artistic summit. Colors were more delicate, filigrees more flexible and fluent, and scope was enlarged beyond the sacrifice-process wares into snuff bottles, folding screens, incense burners, tables, chairs, chopsticks, and bowls.
During the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), cloisonne improved and reached its artistic summit. Colors were more delicate, filigrees more flexible and fluent, and scope was enlarged beyond the sacrifice-process wares into snuff bottles, folding screens, incense burners, tables, chairs, chopsticks, and bowls.
Cloisonne manufacture is comprehensive and sophisticated, combining the techniques of making bronze and porcelain ware, as well as those of traditional painting and sculpture:
Model hammering: The process is to form copper pieces into various shapes with a hammer according to a design, joining them under high temperature.
Filigree welding: In filigree welding the artist pinches and curves copper filigree into delicate flower patterns, pasting them onto the copper molds. Possibly the most challenging step of the procedure, heating to 900 degrees centigrade, firms the metal.
Enamel filling: Through this interesting procedure, the cloisonne wears a colored wrap.
Handicrafts specialists fill enamel glaze into lattices formed by fine-spun filigrees. Just on
e filling is not enough - the filigrees extrude, and the surface is dull. They have to fuse powdery glaze in the smelter at 800 degrees centigrade, then take the object out and repeat the process three or four times until 
its surface becomes smooth.
e filling is not enough - the filigrees extrude, and the surface is dull. They have to fuse powdery glaze in the smelter at 800 degrees centigrade, then take the object out and repeat the process three or four times until 
its surface becomes smooth.
Surface polishing: Seeking smooth surfaces, artisans polish articles three times with grit or charcoal. The work requires extreme care.
Gilding: After acid pickling, fluid gold adds elegance and civility to a cloisonne piece.
