A traditional craft in Zhejiang’s Ningbo city, Carved Bone Inlay refers to a carving technique which embeds animal bone pieces into wooden works for decorations. Zhao Puchu, a renowned Chinese scholar, once praised the craft as “redolent of thought in the minutest details, connecting with the vast world, integrating past with present and carving with the most exquisite techniques.”

In the Southern Song period (1127-1279), Ningbo became a major international trading port thanks to its natural geographical advantages and developed waterways, and the handicraft industry prospered accordingly, creating favorable conditions for the development of Carved Bone Inlay. Abundant fish glue, shells, and bamboos in this area provided the initial raw materials for the craft. Over time, it has absorbed the essence of Ningbo’s traditional wood inlay as well as folk paintings and developed its own unique style. Now, Carved Bone Inlay is largely used for traditional furniture, household goods and architecture ornaments.

An inheritor of the Carved Bone Inlay craft, Chen Mingwei has been in love with painting and calligraphy since childhood and has developed his unique understanding on Chinese culture. Indeed, Chen started learning the craft when he was very young. Already in his sixties, he is still striving to bring more innovative ideas into the development of Carved Bone Inlay. His works are widely acclaimed. One of them, Qiangong Chuang (literally “a bed costing a thousand days to make”, won the 2013 “Mountain Flower Award”, which is dedicated to China’s folk arts and culture.