Black Copper Run Thru With Silver: A Yunnan Cultural Heritage

Black copper run through with silver is one of Yunnan's intangible cultural heritages and is known as an art form involving the use of the artist's body heat.

It takes a total of 10 processes to produce black copper run through with silver artwork. The final process involves a procedure of using the artist's hand temperature to polish the piece.

The artworks are unique handicrafts in Yunnan and have a history of more than 300 years. Of late, there are only a handful of people in Yunnan who have mastered the craft. The skills necessary to produce black copper run through with silver artwork have entered the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Due to the complicated craftsmanship involved in making a black copper run through with silver items, it is rare to find legitimate ones in the market. However, real black copper artwork can be seen in museums and exhibition halls in the region.