Inheritor dedicated to passing on traditional Huizhou lacquerware

Under the warm winter sun, Fan Xuege is busy polishing her lacquerware works, which involve dozens of procedures and take several months to complete.

As an inheritor of the Huizhou lacquerware craftsmanship, a national intangible cultural heritage, Fan Xuege, despite being a part of the post-90s generation, has been working with lacquerware for over a decade. Her father, Fan Fu'an, is a provincial-level representative inheritor of this intangible cultural heritage, and growing up under his influence, she developed an interest in lacquerware and lacquer painting from an early age.

For a long time, Fan Xuege viewed creating lacquerware as a mere hobby. Even during her university years, she pursued a major unrelated to this craft. However, everything changed in 2015.

Fan Xuege (Photo/Chizhou University)

That year marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark. Fan Fu'an was commissioned to create two lacquer portrait paintings as national gifts for the Danish royal family.

The two works were exquisite, with vivid character portrayals. However, due to his tireless efforts, Fan Fu'an fell ill and only after a long period of rest did he start to recover. In that year, 23-year-old Fan Xuege decided to learn the art of lacquerware decoration from her father.

"Since I embarked on the journey of inheriting the craft, I started to refer to my father as 'teacher'," Fan Xuege said. Fan Fu'an's strict guidance and expectations pushed Fan Xuege to her limits, yet she remained steadfast in her commitment. "I have never once considered giving up. My passion for lacquerware continues to grow stronger with each passing day," she said.

In 2016, Fan Xuege was recognized as a municipal-level representative inheritor of Huizhou lacquerware. Her lacquerware and lacquer painting works, inspired by local culture and the ancient residential houses of Huizhou, have received wide acclaim.

Fan Xuege's lacquerware works. (Photo/Communist Youth League of China Huangshan municipal committee)

Fan Xuege incorporates creative ideas appealing to young people into her works. For instance, she once collaborated with her father on a lacquer vase, and as they neared completion, she felt the design was too traditional and needed something more. While her father was away teaching, Fan Xuege boldly implemented her idea, "I wanted to adjust its texture to express an ordered sense of romance and freedom—there needed to be a pattern, but the colors had to be rich." After it was finished, the vase was quickly collected, giving her great confidence.

Now, in addition to creating lacquerware and lacquer paintings, Fan Xuege also designs and makes lacquer jewelry and cultural creative products, which are very popular among young people. She also teaches at the Art and Education College of Chizhou University, where she encourages her students to unleash their creativity. "Young people's ideas are always boundless, and I don't stop them. Many of their ideas actually inspire me." In Fan Xuege's view, young people's works should express their own artistic language and aesthetic taste, rather than merely imitating traditional techniques.

In the future, Fan Xuege hopes to create more practical applications for Huizhou lacquerware craftsmanship. "For example, the design of domestic electric car keys could integrate lacquerware craftsmanship, making them both beautiful and full of national charm." In her eyes, both humans and lacquerware have infinite possibilities.