New gold dream

By Zhang Lei | China Daily | Updated: 2018-02-24 14:14
Share
Share - WeChat
Gold-paste master Kang Shouguang and his apprentices transform the walls of Daci Temple in Chengdu, Sichuan province into splendid artworks. [Photo/Western China Metropolis Daily]

Gold paste is an ancient art form that is widely used in aristocratic ornaments and Buddhist statues. It is hard to imagine how artisans hammered gold bars into slivers of gold foil as thin as an onion skin, and how they attached them to objects.

The production process involves more than 10 procedures. One gram of gold can be made into about 0.5 square meters of pure gold foil, with a thickness of only 0.12 microns. It is lighter than a feather, thinner than an onion skin and softer than silk. These real gold foils can keep their luster for at least 70 years.

A special glue is needed to create the gold paste. The viscosity of the glue and its thickness are the key to its success. The humidity of the air determines the amount of time it takes to dry.

|<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next   >>|
Photo

Related Stories

Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US