Porcelain, made from another special kind of clay, has been used in China for more than 4000 years. The clay used to make porcelain is white, and is fired at an incredibly high temperature to obtain the desired hardness.
Also unique to China, and originating in the large city of Beijing, is Cloissonne, a well-known form of enamelware. Cloissonne products are made via a complex system that requires a number of layers to be placed on top of one another, beginning with copper, which is malleable and lends itself to shaping the form of the product. Extremely thin strips of enamel are then soldered on to the form, creating an intricate design. The spaces between the copper strips are then filled in with enamel, and the entire product is gilded to create a magnificent lustre.
Jade stone carvings are another of China's famous handicraft creations. In ancient times, these were made by covering the object with sand and then wearing away at it with bamboo or rope in order to create a form. This was extremely time-consuming and labour intensive, and needless to say has been taken over by more modern production methods.
