Keywords
Chinese art, Tang Dynasty art, decorative and applied arts, toreutics, Chinese gold and silver, forging, repoussé and chasing, engraving, ornament, gilding, Hejiacun hoard, Famen Temple,
How to Cite
Li Y., Uranchimeg D. Decorative and applied art of the Tang Empire (on the example of metallic tableware): techniques of manufacturing, style, ornamental decoration // The Art of Eurasia, 2026. № 2 (41). P. 144–157. URL: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.02.008.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Abstract
This article presents a comprehensive study of the decorative arts of the Tang Empire (618–907), specifically focusing on gold and silver tableware. The author examines craft technologies as a pivotal factor in determining not only the artistic form and decorative structure, but also the overall aesthetic direction of toreutics during this period. The unique artistic style of Tang dynasty gold and silverware was shaped by the vessel forms, the nature of the decorative motifs, and the manufacturing techniques employed. Among these reasons, it was precisely manufacturing techniques that played a determining role in the formative process, as they had an enormous impact on the decorative design of metal products and their style. This article examines the basic techniques used in the production of Tang gold and silver pieces, with particular attention to the impact of manufacturing methods on the original style and decorative design of the artworks. In-depth review considers techniques of forging and carving, repoussé and chasing, etching and engraving, embossing and gilding. Special attention is paid to the technique of raising, which became dominant during the Tang era, enabling craftsmen to transition from flat forms to complex sculptural and relief solutions. Based on an analysis of artefacts from major archaeological discoveries — the Hejiacun hoard and the Famen Temple — the article traces the stylistic evolution of Tang metalwork. The author identifies a transition from the concise and monumental style of the High Tang (7th to early 8th century), which was influenced by Sasanian and Sogdian traditions, to the more refined, multilayered, and “pictorial” decoration of the late period. The study concludes that the organic unity of technique, form, and ornament ensured the exceptional artistic quality of these precious metal objects and established high aesthetic standards for subsequent eras of Chinese art.
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