Japanese influence
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Japanese influence
In 1916, Yamanaka Akira, a Japanese businessman, opened a Japanese restaurant that was the biggest Japanese restaurant in Taichung City. He brought with him his interests in Japanese crafts. In 1908, he completed his studies in lacquerware at the Tokyo Fine Arts School (now the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music). The tableware in the restaurant was all lacquerware products. About eight years after he left the school, he started a lacquerware products factory in Taiwan. The name of the factory was Yamanaka Fine Arts and Lacquerware Craft Factory; it was located in Taichung City. |
Taiwanese Aboriginal Plate by Chen Huo-Ching. Li-Shu, Huang. 1990, The history and works of Chen Huo-Ching, Taipei, Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts. P60. |
Pineapple Plate by Chen Huo-Ching. Li-Shu, Huang. 1990, The history and works of Chen Huo-Ching, Taipei, Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts. P61. |
Later, in 1928, he became the principal of Taichung Craft Art School, which was funded by the Japanese colonial government. Foreign visitors were attracted to the unique and exotic lacquerware produced by graduates and their products became the preferred souvenir of Taiwan of that period. Yamanaka travelled all over Taiwan, investigating the local customs, especially in Taiwanese aboriginal culture. He made an excellent contribution in combining the Taiwanese aboriginal and Han cultures to make a new style of Taiwanese lacquerware that was only produced in Taiwan. The name of the special style became one of the established lacquerware varieties, called ‘Peng-Lai scribble’. The Japanese lacquerware industry had categorised all the styles based on the region of production, special fabricating skill or technique. ‘Peng-Lai scribble’ was the only one produced in Taiwan. |
Chinese New Year in Yamanaka Fine Arts and Lacquerware Craft Factory 1929, Yamanaka Akira is the one sitting on the chair. Li-Shu, Huang. 1990, The history and works of Chen Huo-Ching, Taipei, Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts. P10. |
Banana Plate by Chen Huo-Ching. Li-Shu, Huang. 1990, The history and works of Chen Huo-Ching, Taipei, Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts. P125. |
Fruit Plate by Chen Huo-Ching. Li-Shu, Huang. 1990, The history and works of Chen Huo-Ching, Taipei, Preparatory Office of the National Headquarters of Taiwan Traditional Arts. P125. |
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