About this siteDecline and Continuation of GangcaiEvents Recap
Decline and Continuation of Gangcai
20th Century Hong Kong Painted Porcelains—Gangcai
BROWSE BY
RECENTLY VISITED
{{removeNBSP(item.name)}}
20th Century Hong Kong Painted Porcelains—Gangcai
BROWSE BY:
RECENTLY VISITED
{{item.name}}
Decline and Continuation of Gangcai
Major Trends affecting the Industry
The fate of an industry is largely determined by the major trends of the society. Whilst the relocation of painted porcelain factories to the north did help to reduce production costs to certain extent, but the rising production costs in the Chinese Mainland resulting from the appreciation of the Renminbi and the enactment of labour law in 1995 had inevitably led to a decline in profits. Furthermore, changes in the society and the business sector had a significant impact on established business practices. Those in the industry agree that the fatal blow of the gangcai industry was dealt by the subprime mortgage crisis in 2007, which led to sharp drop of orders from USA, causing the gangcai trade to plummet along with the wider market.
In terms of human resources, many local painting masters have retired since 2000, but few from the new generation are interested in joining the industry, Hong Kong is now left with only a small number of porcelain factories and a handful of elderly painting masters.
Survival of Gangcai against the Odds
The painted porcelain industry is a sunset industry, yet there is still a glimmer of hope on the horizon, with Yuet Tung China Works and Peng Chau Chiu Kee Porcelain still in the business; moreover, a younger generation is dedicated to mastering the craft of painted porcelain, striving to keep the tradition of gangcai alive.
Peng Chau Chiu Kee Porcelain surviving: plate with blue flowers painted by Lam Kew, the wife of the founder Lam Hon-chiu. (2016, collection of Lam Kew)Yuet Tung China Works continuing the tradition: Guangcai plate with meandering border and flower at centre produced by Yuet Tung (1960, painted by Wong Nin. Collection of Yuet Tung China Works)
As a light industry, gangcai has contributed to the economic development of Hong Kong in the 20th century. From the cultural and historical perspective, the significance of gangcai cannot be underestimated: Hong Kong serves as the last leg for the southward transmission of the traditional Chinese painted porcelain craft, preserving the legacy of the craft and further evolved and enriched its artistic expression. Not only did gangcai spread the awareness of this unique craftsmanship far and wide through exports, but locally gangcai had became part of the daily lives of the people, leaving its mark in the long history of this unique city. Gangcai is a treasure of the history and culture of Hong Kong, possessing profound research value that awaits scholars.
The fate of an industry is largely determined by the major trends of the society. Whilst the relocation of painted porcelain factories to the north did help to reduce production costs to certain extent, but the rising production costs in the Chinese Mainland resulting from the appreciation of the Renminbi and the enactment of labour law in 1995 had inevitably led to a decline in profits. Furthermore, changes in the society and the business sector had a significant impact on established business practices. Those in the industry agree that the fatal blow of the gangcai industry was dealt by the subprime mortgage crisis in 2007, which led to sharp drop of orders from USA, causing the gangcai trade to plummet along with the wider market.
In terms of human resources, many local painting masters have retired since 2000, but few from the new generation are interested in joining the industry, Hong Kong is now left with only a small number of porcelain factories and a handful of elderly painting masters.
Survival of Gangcai against the Odds
The painted porcelain industry is a sunset industry, yet there is still a glimmer of hope on the horizon, with Yuet Tung China Works and Peng Chau Chiu Kee Porcelain still in the business; moreover, a younger generation is dedicated to mastering the craft of painted porcelain, striving to keep the tradition of gangcai alive.
Peng Chau Chiu Kee Porcelain surviving: plate with blue flowers painted by Lam Kew, the wife of the founder Lam Hon-chiu. (2016, collection of Lam Kew)Yuet Tung China Works continuing the tradition: Guangcai plate with meandering border and flower at centre produced by Yuet Tung (1960, painted by Wong Nin. Collection of Yuet Tung China Works)
As a light industry, gangcai has contributed to the economic development of Hong Kong in the 20th century. From the cultural and historical perspective, the significance of gangcai cannot be underestimated: Hong Kong serves as the last leg for the southward transmission of the traditional Chinese painted porcelain craft, preserving the legacy of the craft and further evolved and enriched its artistic expression. Not only did gangcai spread the awareness of this unique craftsmanship far and wide through exports, but locally gangcai had became part of the daily lives of the people, leaving its mark in the long history of this unique city. Gangcai is a treasure of the history and culture of Hong Kong, possessing profound research value that awaits scholars.
