Revival and Breakthrough

In 1958, Beijing Filigree Inlaid Factory was founded. At that time, the factory employed more than 1,000 people. By the end of the 1980s, the factory was in financial trouble, as exports of filigree-inlaid works dropped off. In 2002, the factory declared bankruptcy. Many of the craftsmen left the factory to find new jobs. In 2008, filigree-inlaid art was listed as an intangible cultural heritage of China. That began the revival of the ancient handicraft.

Bai Jingyi, who was born in 1942, became the representative inheritor of filigree-inlaid art. In 1961, Bai graduated from Beijing Crafts and Arts School with a major in metal arts. After she graduated, she went to work at Beijing Research Institute of Crafts and Arts, where she worked with many craftsmen to design filigree-inlaid art.

In 1963, she joined Beijing Filigree Inlaid Factory, where she worked until her retirement in 2002.

At the factory, many famous masters, including Zhai Deshou and Wu Kenan, taught her about the craft. Bai has since designed many filigree-inlaid masterpieces. One of her works earned her the highly prestigious Excellent Design Award at the 1983 Southeastern Asian Jewelry Design Contest.

"There are 56 ethnic groups in China. The jewelry of each ethnic group has its own characteristics. In addition, there is much jewelry that has been passed down from ancient times. That jewelry still looks fashionable in the eyes of modern men. We can learn a lot from those works,'' says Bai.

In 2009, Bai entered into a strategic business arrangement with Zhaoyi Jewelry Company and a year later, after six months of preparations, she opened her workshop in Beijing's Song Village. In November 2010, Zhaoyi Jewelry launched its custom-jewelry service, through which it has provided filigree-inlaid jewelry with emeralds to its customers. In the past three years, Bai has read many documents and visited many museums. With several of her colleagues, Bai has made replicas of gold crowns and various items of jewelry that reflect the lifestyle of China's royal families.

"Jewelry designs know no boundaries, but the designs should possess the traditions and culture of its nation. A good design should reflect the designer's wisdom and ideas. The best design can reflect both Eastern and Western culture," Bai says.

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