Rippling Tea Dates | Works by Lacquerware Master Songshan

Master of Lacquerware, Mr. Matsuyama

Mr. Matsuyama at work

Master lacquerware maker Songshan tells us about the tea and jujube craftsmanship.

Master Matsuyama's son is also a renowned lacquerware craftsman in the area.

Matsuyama:

When I first met the lacquerware master, Mr. Songshan, he knelt down to greet me. His humility, simplicity, purity, and respect seemed to be something that could only be seen in ancient books or TV dramas, completely different from the so-called masters we encounter in our daily lives who are full of "arrogance and江湖气" (a kind of江湖-like air, implying a world of martial arts and chivalry).

The gentleman's detachment from worldly affairs and lofty ideals make one feel as if they are from another era. Although half of my life has passed, I still feel that meeting him was a blessing from heaven.

As a renowned master craftsman in Kanazawa and a lacquerware lecturer at Kanazawa University, Mr. Matsuyama is respected not only for his superb skills but also because each of his works is a "creation," rather than a simple imitation or reproduction of an object. This is quite different from that of ordinary craftsmen.

The saying goes, "Art should evolve with the times." His creations are partly inspired by life, such as the flowers and plants in front of his door; and partly by his recent fascination with the colors of ancient Egypt. He infuses traditional objects like tea and dates with a fashionable and vibrant spirit, giving them a new life.

Surprisingly, his son's work is very traditional, while Mr. Matsuyama himself is more avant-garde.

His works employ a wide range of lacquer techniques: thick lacquer coating, thin lacquer coating, glazing, gold and silver painting, halos of gold, gold tracing, polychrome painting, metal inlay, mother-of-pearl inlay, eggshell inlay, inlaid gold, inlaid colors, polychrome lacquer polishing, maki-e aluminum foil powder polishing... Often, a single piece involves the fusion and presentation of more than ten techniques. The production process often takes more than a year, requiring perfect coordination between mind and hand, regardless of the time, only striving for perfection.

Zhao Qingtao's Notes

A comparison of the flowers and plants in front of Mr. Matsuyama's house and his works.