景泰蓝 Jing Tai Lan

但是它的制作工艺精湛繁复、造价昂贵，不是一般人所能承受的。
However, its production procedure can be very complicated and thus it is priced so high that the common people usually cannot afford it.

因此在明清两朝，“景泰蓝”都是皇家专用的器物饰品，是尊贵与财富的象征。
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, “Jing Tai Lan” was the decorative articles owned only by royal families, a symbol of nobility and wealth.

清朝皇宫内设有“珐琅作”，专门制造精美的景泰蓝。
“Workshop of Enamel” was set up in the Forbidden City during the Qing Dynasty, specializing in producing elegant Jing Tai Lan.

后来这项工艺渐渐传入民间，才得以年复一年传承至今。
Later on, this craft was introduced to the folk communities, so that it could be passed on over generations and last till now.

制作景泰蓝的工艺是个环环相连、丝丝入扣的复杂过程。
Making Jing Tai Lan is a very complicated process which each step closely connected to the previous one.

须经过“制胎”、“掐丝”、“点蓝”、“烧蓝”、“磨光”、“镀金”等大大小小十多道工序才能完成。
It can only be finished through more than ten steps including making copper mold, welding copper wire, coloring, polishing, gold-plating and so on.

全部工序的基础是从制胎开始的。
All steps begin with mold-making.

工匠们要先选取厚薄均匀的紫铜片。
Firstly, craftsmen choose pieces of copper of exactly the same thickness.

剪裁切割之后，通过这样耐心地反复捶打做成各种器物的毛坯。
Then they cut and hammer them into the molds for different kinds of articles by repeatedly beating and molding with patience.

而一件精美绝伦的艺术品，也将在这不起眼的铜胎上一步步完成。
And a magnificent and elegant art craft is to be created from the not-eye-absorbing copper mold.