Tin Craftworks in Gejiu City,Honghe Prefecture

Gejiu is a city famous for tin in China. As early as the Ming Dynasty, tin craftworks were already produced there. Tin craftworks are made of tin of high purity, through the procedures of melting, forging to pieces, cutting, moulding, scraping, assembling, polishing, decorating and carving. As tin is acid - proof, alkali - proof, nonpoisonous, tasteless, rust - proof and anticorrosive, containers made of it have the following functions: food in a tin container will not go bad or become stale for a long time; alcoholic drink in a tin vessel is pleasantly cool in summer while it gets warm quickly in winter when it is heated. For centuries, the craftsmanship of tin craftworks has been developing and there has been increasing varieties such as drinking vessels, teapots, make - up containers, incense burners, the statues of Buddha and cups. They are exquisite and pleasing but practical and popular. In 1981, adopting merits of relief sculptures and Chinese paintings, craftsmen developed a distinctive new product, a tin painting for indoor decoration, by moulding, welding and decorating. Recently, besides sales in China, export of tin craftworks has been greatly expanded.