Vietnam · Surface Design / Lacquerware
Sơn Mài
Sơn mài is the Vietnamese lacquer tradition — distinct from Korean ottchil (CRAFT-0020) and Japanese urushi in its multi-layer color technique and grinding-back process. Vietnamese lacquer artists apply up to 20 layers of colored lacquer (son ta — from the same Rhus succedanea tree as Korean ottchil), each layer a different color or material — including eggshell (trứng), gold leaf, silver powder, and mother-of-pearl — then grind back through all layers to reveal a composite surface where multiple colors and materials coexist simultaneously. The grinding-back (mài — the second word in sơn mài, meaning 'to grind') is the defining technique: the artist grinds through the surface to reveal specific layers at specific points, producing a depth of color and material complexity impossible in any other painting medium. Ha Thai village near Hanoi is the primary lacquerware production center.
Risk level: Endangered · Not inscribed
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