Shell mosaics are relatively new handicrafts carved out from or inlayed with colorful shells found on the banks of rivers, lakes and seas.
Shells have been special to China since primitive times when they were used as personal ornaments and a currency. Today, "huo bi", the Chinese word for "currency" or "legal tender", still contains an element that stands for "shell". As early as in the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, handicrafts such as raden inlaying and shell pasting already became popular among ordinary people.
Today, people in the trade still greatly treasure shells. Shell mosaics can be divided into two main categories: decorative pictures, such as human figures, animals, flowers and plants, and screens; and daily articles, such as stationery, smoking sets and reading lamps. The products are rich in color and come in strange shapes, retaining their natural beauty.
The works are essentially traditional Chinese paintings expressed as an assembly of shells following the same principles of composition and depicting the same subjects (human figures, landscapes, flowers, birds, pavilions and towers). Only the means of expression are different. The shells are carefully selected for shape and color, meticulously manipulated and pieced together to form images. The resulting picture is in teas relief and rich in Chinese flavor.
In the course of the craft's development, the artist has come to appreciate the intricate color patterns of various shells. Some shells feature alluring undertones both inside and out, for instance, black and red, amber and violet, which the artist manipulates to inject the works with either a colorful magnificence or quiet elegance.
Products in the second category are intended for practical use, such as lamps, jewelry boxes and other shell utensils.
The major shell mosaic production centers in China include Dalian city of Liaoning Province, Qingdao city of Shandong Province, Qinhuangdao city of Hebei Province, Beihai city of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and so on.