Lacquer is the sap of a tree that grows wild in all parts of China. Sap has been tapped in China since around 3000 BC. The sap resin is extracted, boiled and filteredbefore application. The red colour is achieved by using cinnabar (mercuric sulphide) as a colouring agent. The lacquer is applied in thin layers to a core, usually made out of wood, brass, silver, gold, or other materials.

Typically, each coat of lacquer was applied thoroughly died and hardened, sanded and smoothed by hand. This process is repeated, sometimes upward of two hundred times. This extremely long drying process cannot be hurried, as the lacquer coating may become fragile and flake off. The coats of lacquer seal the core and, when hardened, are extremely strong. The strength of the exterior make lacquer resistant to decay, allowing objects to exist as light-weight and durable. Generally, pieces of lacquerware can take months to finish, or years for more elaborate pieces.

For decoration, the piece may be painted with a brush and pigments, or layered with gold and silver. Pieces with very thick layers of coating may be carved or incised with intricate patterns of flowers, birds, human figures, landscapes, or symbols of good fortune.

漆是中國各地野生樹木的汁液。自公元前 3000 年左右以來，中國就開始開採樹液。樹液在應用前皆被提取、煮沸和過濾。紅色是通過使用硃砂（硫化汞）作為著色劑來顯現的。漆層會被薄薄地塗在一個核心芯子上，而芯子則通常是由木頭、銅、銀、金或其他材料製成。

製作漆層的工序繁複，每層漆都必須經過徹底染色、硬化、手工打磨，和平滑。這個過程需要不斷重複，有時更多達兩百次。這個極長的干燥過程不能匆忙了事，因為漆塗層可能會因而變得脆弱和剝落。漆層包圍並密封核心芯子，在硬化後會變得非常堅固。堅固的漆外層則能夠防止內部的漆層腐爛，使漆器可以更輕巧和耐用。漆器一般需要數個月才能完成，更精緻的漆器則可能需要數年的時間。

裝飾漆器的話可以用刷子塗上顏料，或用金和銀分層。塗層很厚的作品可能被雕刻或切割成複雜的花、鳥、人物、風景或象徵吉祥的物品。