Lacquerware

Okay kiddo, do you know what a bowl is? Great! Now, imagine taking that bowl and painting it with some special paint called lacquer.

Lacquer is a kind of coating made from the sap of a tree called the lacquer tree. People have been using this special paint for thousands of years to make all sorts of colorful and shiny objects.

When the lacquer dries, it forms a hard and durable layer that can protect things from water, dust, and scratches.

So, when you paint a bowl with lacquer and let it dry, you have a shiny and durable bowl that's not only pretty to look at but also useful to eat from or keep your things in.

This process of painting objects with lacquer and making them look fancy is called lacquerware. It's an art that's been practiced in many cultures around the world, from Japan to Mexico. People make all sorts of lacquerware objects, like cups, plates, vases, jewelry boxes, and even furniture!

So, the next time you see a shiny and colorful object that looks like it's made of plastic but actually isn't, remember that it could be a piece of lacquerware, a true work of art that's been around for centuries.