Jade and lacquerware have been constantly in use in China since earliest times. In Chinese eyes, jade , in white and shades of green or brown, is the most precious of stones. It was used to make the earliest ritual objects, such as the flat disc Pi , symbol of Heaven, which was found in Shang and Zhou graves. Jade was also used as a mark of rank and for ornament, and in its most striking form in the jade burial suits which you will see in the country's museums.

Lacquer is also found as early as the Zhou. Made from the sap of the lac tree, many layers were painted on a wood or cloth base which was then carved and inlaid with gold, silver or tortoiseshell, or often most delicately painted. There are numerous examples of painted lacquer boxes and baskets from the Han and, as with jade, the use of this material has continued ever since.