Zhang Peichen
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Zhang Peichen, Male, Han, from Shanghai, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Qingtongqixiufujifuzhijiyi (Ⅷ-197). The tradition is documented in Shanghai. Within the regional tradition and school record of Qingtongqixiufujifuzhijiyi in Shanghai: The technology of bronze cultural-relic restoration and replication has a long history, giving rise to different technical schools in different regions. Taking into account multiple requirements such as preservation, aesthetics, and scientificity is the greatest characteristic of this school's craft. From the 1920s, Shanghai became the largest metropolis in the Far East, where large numbers of cultural relics and related talents gathered. The founder of the Shanghai bronze-ware restoration craft can be traced to "Wai Zui Yu," a clever artisan of bronze-ware restoration and imitation at the Imperial Workshop of the Qing dynasty's Interior Ministry in the late Qing; it was later transmitted through Zhang Taien and Wang Deshan to Wang Rongda, with many innovations and improvements to the restoration techniques.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Zhang Peichen is anchored in the documented technical standards of Qingtongqixiufujifuzhijiyi in Shanghai. Within the documented technical tradition of Qingtongqixiufujifuzhijiyi in Shanghai: The Shanghai bronze-ware restoration craft takes Shanghai as its core area while radiating to most provinces and municipalities across the country. The reason the Shanghai bronze-ware restoration craft was able to be nurtured and developed in Shanghai is thanks to Shanghai's unique geographical advantage. The Shanghai bronze-ware restoration craft includes links such as cleaning, derusting, straightening, assembling, engraving patterns, mold-making, casting, filling missing parts, polishing, coloring, and antiquing; among these, high-precision plaster model and mold making and super-precision bronze casting for filling missing parts restore the original appearance of the object to the greatest extent in terms of shape, pattern, and material. While being transmitted, this item has been continuously improved, forming main characteristics of a perfect combination of materials and craft, deep study of the original vessel, and attention to cultural-relic safety and authenticity. The Shanghai bronze-ware restoration craft uses materials scientifically and reasonably, effectively eliminating bronze-ware diseases, prolonging the life of cultural relics, fully demonstrating the brilliance of Chinese civilization, and reflecting the outstanding creativity of the Chinese nation. Its attitude of ultimate rigor and its development history of integration and innovation are an excellent interpretation of the craftsmanship spirit and creativity of the Chinese nation. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Cleaning and ultrasonic derusting": The first step is to clear dirt and loose corrosion; ultrasonic derusting, used first in China for this purpose, is combined with traditional washing. "Straightening and joining": Distorted vessels are straightened and fragments joined, with seams matching the original thickness and later colour work. "Carving the decoration": Lost ornament is recarved following the original stroke direction so that new and old work cannot be told apart. "Moulding and ultra-precision casting": High-precision plaster moulds and ultra-precision bronze casting restore missing parts in form, pattern and material as closely as possible.
Cleaning and ultrasonic derusting
The first step is to clear dirt and loose corrosion; ultrasonic derusting, used first in China for this purpose, is combined with traditional washing.
Straightening and joining
Distorted vessels are straightened and fragments joined, with seams matching the original thickness and later colour work.
Carving the decoration
Lost ornament is recarved following the original stroke direction so that new and old work cannot be told apart.
Moulding and ultra-precision casting
High-precision plaster moulds and ultra-precision bronze casting restore missing parts in form, pattern and material as closely as possible.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Zhang Peichen was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Qingtongqixiufujifuzhijiyi, with Shanghai as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Qingtongqixiufujifuzhijiyi in Shanghai: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2021 (batch 5), with Shanghai as its declared area, and Shanghai Museum as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
From the 1920s, Shanghai became the largest metropolis in the Far East, where large numbers of cultural relics and related talents gathered. The founder of the Shanghai bronze-ware restoration craft can be traced to "Wai Zui Yu," a clever artisan of bronze-ware restoration and imitation at the Imperial Workshop of the Qing dynasty's Interior Ministry in the late Qing; it was later transmitted through Zhang Taien and Wang Deshan to Wang Rongda, with many innovations and improvements to the restoration techniques.
05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage
National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wang Youliang | Gugongbowuyuan | 04-1926 | Other regional school |
| Yunxiaogang | Gugongbowuyuan | 05-2881 | Other regional school |
| Lvtuanjie | Gugongbowuyuan | 05-2882 | Other regional school |
| Zhang Peichen | Shanghai | — | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。