Handicrafts (手工业 shougongye) produced during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) were objects designed and hand-made by craftsmen. They were heavily ornate, incorporating Tibetan, Middle Eastern, Indian, and European techniques. The design or decorative aspect of the craft was as important as the crafting technique itself and Qing artisans were particular about the materials they used, such as jade (yu), stones, and wood. In their designs artisans drew heavily from a number of motifs, both mythical and natural. Certain areas in China became well-known for specific types of handicrafts; for example, Jingdezhen was known as the capital of porcelain. During the Qing era, Imperial Workshops built in Beijing brought together artisans and raw materials that were once only obtainable in disparate regions. This allowed for the combining of technologies and materials to produce new types of handicrafts. The tributary system also brought new sources for materials and artisans that were not from the production centers.[1]
To the state, crafts were an important part of the Qing dynasty's economy and were regulated by the state. With the stronger presence of Western powers in the nineteenth century, handicrafts, especially porcelain, took on different characteristics depending on whether it was for domestic consumption and international export. Unlike the Ming, the proliferation of handicrafts in the Qing dynasty not only attests to the dynasty's "materialistic mandate" and but also the value of craftsmanship.[2] Studies of the technological advancement of handicrafts in the Qing dynasty show the early stages of Chinese industrialization.[3]