The inside-painted snuff bottle is a national-level intangible cultural heritage unique to China. Originating in the Qing Dynasty and passed down for a hundred years, it is a classic treasure of traditional Chinese handicrafts. The craft uses a specially made curved fine brush to paint backwards on the inner wall of a small bottle blank, which is extremely difficult to create and exquisite in craftsmanship. The works integrate traditional Chinese painting brushwork, modeling craftsmanship and traditional aesthetics, containing a vast world in a small space and showing the profoundness in details. They carry profound Chinese aesthetics and folk cultural context, and are also a highly representative oriental art carrier for contemporary cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.
内画鼻烟壶是中国独有的国家级非物质文化遗产，始于清代、传承百年，是中华传统手工艺术的经典瑰宝。技艺以特制弯钩细笔，于小巧壶坯内壁反向运笔作画，创作难度极高、工艺精妙绝伦。作品融国画笔墨、造型工艺、传统审美于一体，方寸藏万象、细微见天地，承载着深厚的中式美学与民俗文脉，更是当代中外文化交流极具代表性的东方艺术载体。
Zheng, Hongbin, courtesy name Yichen, was born in 1980. He has loved painting and calligraphy since childhood. In 1989, he officially became a disciple to study the art of inside-painted snuff bottles. After decades of dedicated practice and continuous deep cultivation, he has developed a solid and profound artistic foundation. His creative themes are rich and diverse, and he is good at three major themes: landscapes, figures, flowers and birds. His paintings have an open artistic conception, powerful momentum and vivid charm. His representative works include “Picture of Pine and Crane for Longevity”, “Picture of a Happy Couple”, “Grand Ambition” and so on.
郑宏宾，号一尘，1980年生，自幼笃爱书画艺术。1989年正式拜师研习内画鼻烟壶技艺，历经数十年潜心苦修、深耕不辍，练就扎实深厚的艺术功底。其创作题材丰富多元，擅长山水、人物、花鸟三大题材，画面意境开阔、气势雄浑、气韵生动，代表作品有《松鹤延年图》《佳侣图》《大展宏图》等。
He is currently a Beijing Folk Arts and Crafts Master, a member of Beijing Arts and Crafts Association, and a member of Beijing Chinese Businessmen Intangible Heritage Promotion Association. In 2008, Zheng Hongbin founded Tianyuan Jingshe Inside-painting Studio in Beijing, focusing on the inheritance, creative innovation and cultural communication of inside-painting craftsmanship.
现为北京民间工艺美术大师、北京工艺美术协会会员、北京华商非物质文化遗产促进会会员。2008年，郑宏宾于北京创立天缘精舍内画工作室，专注内画技艺传承、创作创新与文化传播。
His inside-painting skills are unique and profound: first, reverse inside-painting with extraordinary difficulty, relying on a specially made hook brush to paint backwards on the inner wall of a narrow bottle mouth, with a unique technique that few people can match; second, exquisite and delicate brushwork, with lines as thin as gossamer and vivid depictions, showing the craftsmanship in every detail; third, integrating ancient and modern elements with a strong artistic charm, combining traditional Chinese painting brushwork, calligraphic artistic conception and color aesthetics, where craftsmanship and aesthetics complement each other, full of oriental heritage; fourth, extensive themes and profound cultural context, covering landscape scenery, auspicious flowers and birds, folk allusions, with auspicious meanings and rich connotations; fifth, pure hand-made and unique works, all hand-painted with ingenuity, impossible to be replicated by machines, each work is a unique piece; sixth, reflecting the big from the small and carrying cultural context, with a small shape but a profound artistic conception, condensing thousands of years of Chinese aesthetics and humanistic spirit.
其内画技艺独具特色、造诣精深：一是反手内绘、难度卓绝，依托特制钩笔于狭小壶口内壁反向作画，技法独特、罕有人及；二是笔触精妙、细致入微，线条细若游丝、刻画栩栩如生，毫厘之间尽显匠心功力；三是融汇古今、气韵浓厚，融合传统国画笔墨、书法意境与色彩美学，工艺与美学相辅相成，东方底蕴十足；四是题材广博、文脉厚重，涵盖山水盛景、花鸟祥瑞、民俗典故，寓意吉祥、内涵丰盈；五是纯手工作品、独一无二，全程匠心手绘、无可机器复刻，每件作品皆为孤品；六是以小见大、承载文脉，器型小巧却意境悠远，浓缩千年中式审美与人文精神。
Over the years, Zheng Hongbin has actively participated in the exchange, exhibition and dissemination of intangible heritage culture at home and abroad. In 2011, he went to Europe for handicraft exchange; in 2012, he went to South Korea to participate in China-South Korea folk cultural exchange and obtained an official cultural exchange certification certificate; in the same year, his work “Landscape and Figures” won the Gold Award in the arts and crafts industry. In 2014, he was employed as a visiting professor at Mao’er Hutong Primary School in Dongcheng District, Beijing, focusing on the inheritance of intangible heritage aesthetic education. In 2017, he performed excellently in the intangible heritage exhibition of the 19th Book World Chinese Book Fair in Malaysia and was awarded the honorary title of “Best Craftsman”. His works are widely favored by collectors at home and abroad, and have participated in many exhibitions and won awards, laying a solid foundation for the external dissemination of Chinese intangible heritage art.
多年来，郑宏宾积极投身国内外非遗文化交流与展演传播。2011年远赴欧洲开展手工艺术交流，2012年赴韩国参与中韩民间文化交流并获官方文化交流认证证书；同年，作品《山水人物》斩获工美行业金奖。2014年受聘为北京市东城区帽儿胡同小学客座教授，深耕非遗美育传承。2017年，在马来西亚第十九届书香世界中华书展非遗展演中表现优异，获评“最佳工艺师”荣誉称号。其作品广受海内外藏家青睐，多次参展获奖，为中华非遗艺术的对外传播奠定坚实基础。
Upholding the artistic philosophy of “upholding integrity with craftsmanship and forging ahead with innovation”, Zheng Hongbin has always adhered to the original intention of intangible heritage. He deeply engages in the inheritance of craftsmanship and cultural mutual learning, and actively participates in international cultural exchange activities. Especially taking the opportunity of China-Australia cultural exchange, he takes the small inside-painting as a medium to allow overseas friends to closely experience the exquisiteness of Chinese traditional handicrafts and the heritage of oriental aesthetics. Taking art as a bridge and heart as a carrier to pass on charm, he lets the thousand-year-old Chinese intangible heritage culture cross mountains and seas, go to the world, and help enhance the bond between the people of China and Australia and the integration of their cultures.
秉持“匠心守正，创新致远”的艺术理念，郑宏宾始终坚守非遗初心。他深耕技艺传承与文化互鉴，积极参与国际文化交流活动，尤其以中澳文化交流为契机，以方寸内画为媒介，让海外友人近距离体验中国传统手工技艺的精妙与东方美学的底蕴。以艺为桥、以心传韵，让千年中华非遗文脉跨越山海、走向世界，助力中澳民心相通、文化相融。
Representative Works are:
Landscape and Figures/人物山水
December 2012/ 2012年12月
Crystal/水晶
Based on traditional Chinese landscape culture, the work follows the oriental aesthetic concept of harmony between man and nature. It integrates the beauty of mountains and rivers, natural scenery with literati and refined scholars, expressing emotions through landscapes and placing feelings on figures.
作品以中国传统山水文化为根基，遵循天人合一的东方美学理念。将山川灵秀、自然风光与人文雅士相融共生，借山水抒心境，以人物寄情怀。
The painting pursues a profound artistic conception and natural charm, with elegant and ethereal brushwork. It condenses the scenery of mountains and rivers in a small bottle, showing the tranquility and elegance of Chinese landscape. It not only inherits the essence of traditional Chinese painting, but also conveys a leisurely and indifferent humanistic artistic conception through the scenery, highlighting the unique artistic charm of intangible heritage inside-painting.
画面追求意境悠远、气韵天成，笔墨淡雅空灵。在方寸壶内浓缩山河景致，尽显中式山水的沉静与雅致。既传承传统国画精髓，又借景传递悠然淡泊的人文意境，尽显非遗内画的独特艺术魅力。
Journey to the West Series /西游记系列
2013-2014
Crystal/水晶
8x4cm
Creative Concept of Inside-painted Snuff Bottle “Journey to the West” Series/内画鼻烟壶《西游记》系列创作理念
The “Journey to the West” series interprets the classic ancient novel through inside-painting art, taking classic scenes of the master and his disciples’ journey to the west to obtain scriptures. The works vividly depict the expressions and spirits of the characters, with both charm and vitality. It integrates mythological stories, folk culture and traditional Chinese painting brushwork, reproducing classic scenes in a small bottle.
《西游记》系列以内画艺术演绎经典古典名著，取材师徒西行取经的经典桥段。作品生动刻画人物神态与人物风骨，兼具神韵与灵动。将神话故事、民俗文化与传统国画笔墨融为一体，方寸壶中再现经典场景。
It not only inherits the essence of Chinese classical culture, but also endows the story with a new artistic expression relying on the intangible heritage inside-painting craft, promoting the spiritual connotation of fearing no dangers and being kind and persistent.
既传承中华古典文化精髓，又依托非遗内画技艺赋予故事全新艺术表达，弘扬不畏艰险、向善笃行的精神内涵。
Inside-painted Screen Landscape Painting/内画屏风山水画
2015
Crystal/水晶
50x30cm
Creative Concept of Inside-painted Snuff Bottle Screen Landscape Painting/内画鼻烟壶屏风山水画创作理念：
The inside-painted screen landscape integrates the composition of traditional screens and the artistic conception of Chinese landscapes, relying on the exquisite inside-painting skills to create an elegant landscape pattern in a small bottle. The painting draws the vitality of natural mountains and rivers, emphasizing distinct layers and the coexistence of emptiness and reality, with elegant and distant brushwork.
屏风山水内画融合传统屏风构图与中式山水意境，依托内画精巧技艺，于方寸壶内营造雅致山水格局。画作取自然山川之灵气，讲究层次分明、虚实相生，笔墨淡雅悠远。
It not only draws on the elegant charm of classical screens, but also carries the oriental thought of harmony between man and nature. Expressing emotions through landscapes, it shows the beauty of mountains and rivers and the quiet Zen mood. It endows the small bottle with both ornamental and humanistic value, inherits Chinese landscape aesthetics, and highlights the unique artistic style of intangible heritage inside-painting.
既借鉴古典屏风的典雅韵味，又承载天人合一的东方思想。以山水寄情，尽显山河秀美与静谧禅意。让小巧壶器兼具观赏与人文价值，传承中式山水美学，彰显非遗内画独有的艺术格调。
Inside-painted Crystal Ball Peony/内画水晶球牡丹
2016
Crystal/水晶
Diameter 20cm/直径20cm
Creative Concept of Inside-painted Crystal Ball Peony/内画水晶球牡丹创作理念：
Peony, known as the national flower, symbolizes wealth, auspiciousness and prosperity. Taking the transparent crystal ball as the carrier, the work combines exquisite inside-painting skills to meticulously depict the blooming posture of peonies. The leaves have vivid layers and warm and elegant colors, showing the graceful charm of blooming flowers.
牡丹素有国花美誉，象征富贵吉祥、盛世安康。作品以通透水晶球为载体，结合内画精湛技艺，精工描绘牡丹盛放之姿。花叶层次灵动，色彩温润雅致，尽显花开雍容风韵。
It integrates Chinese auspicious culture with natural aesthetics, and the clear crystal sets off the beautiful flowers, implying national peace and prosperity, happiness and smoothness, inheriting Chinese classic flower culture and intangible heritage craftsmanship.
将中式吉祥文化与自然美学相融，水晶澄澈衬繁花锦绣，寓意国泰民安、美满顺遂，传承中华经典花卉文化与非遗匠心。
Honorary Certificates/荣誉证书
Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Master, Silver Award of Beijing Folk Art
Gold Award, 2018 Silk Road China · Luoyang 2nd Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo (for Inside Painting)
Certificate of Honor
To Mr./Ms. Zheng Hongbin:
After public voting and expert review, your inner painting work “Figures and Landscapes” won the Silver Award of Beijing Folk Art for the year 2013.
Beijing Chinese Chamber of Commerce Intangible Cultural Heritage Promotion AssociationBeijing Arts and Crafts AssociationDecember 2012
Title: Beijing Folk Craftsman (2012) Issued by Beijing Chinese Entrepreneurs Intangible Cultural Heritage Promotion Association & Beijing Arts and Crafts Association
Zheng Hongbin, inside-painted snuff bottle artisan, participated in intangible cultural heritage exhibition in Zhangjiakou/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-参加张家口非遗文化展
Cross-cultural Exchange Certificates
Zheng, Hongbin – Inside-painted Snuff Bottles, Cultural Exhibition in South Korea. Certificate of the Korea-China Folk Artists Friendly Exchange Program/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-2012年韩国文化展演
Certificate of Korea-China Folk Artists Friendly Exchange Activity
Name: Zheng Hongbin
This certificate is hereby awarded to you in recognition of your contribution to cultural exchanges and friendship promotion between the elderly of Korea and China, and for your participation in the “Korea-China Folk Artists Cultural Exchange Activity” held in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea.
July 25, 2012Choi Yang-sikMayor of Gyeongju, Republic of Korea
Zheng Hongbin, Inside-painted Snuff Bottle Artist, participated in Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition in Malaysia/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-参加马来西亚非遗文化展
Reports in Malaysian newspapers on Shenzhen Folk Traditional Handicraft Art Exhibition held in Malaysia
Best Craftsman Award, 19th World of Chinese Book Fair (Malaysia, 2017) Awarded for outstanding performance at the Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition held at Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
Reported by Finnish newspaper ITUKKA in 2011: The inner-painting artist demonstrated the traditional Chinese craft at the Helsinki Cultural Festival, showcasing the intangible heritage art to the Finnish public.
2011 年芬兰《ITUKKA》报纸报道，内画艺术家在芬兰赫尔辛基文化艺术节现场展演内画创作，向当地民众展示中国非遗技艺
On-site photos of intangible heritage exhibitions, markets and cultural centre events/非遗现场展演、市集、文化馆活动照片
Zheng Hongbin (Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Artist) – Participation in Zhejiang Cultural Exhibition Activities/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-参加浙江文化活动展演
Zheng Hongbin, Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Artist – Participation in the Spring Festival Cultural Temple Fair at China Millennium Monument/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-参加中华世纪坛春节文化庙会
Exhibition Participation Certificate (2018)For the inside-painted snuff bottle Mu Guiying, selected for the “Charm of the Pear Garden” Beijing Folk Arts and Crafts Special Exhibition, hosted by the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles.
Certificate of Appointment
This is to certify that Teacher Zheng Hongbin is appointed as a Visiting Professor of Mao’er Curriculum Activity Center.
Mao’er Hutong Primary School, Dongcheng District, BeijingMao’er Curriculum Activity CenterDecember 15, 2014
Zheng Hongbin, master of inside-painted snuff bottles, shared and taught the craft to foreign friends at Summer Palace Hotel/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-颐和园宾馆与外国友人分享体验制作内画鼻烟壶
Master teaching apprentices and creating works in the workshop/老师教学、带徒弟、工坊创作实拍
Zheng Hongbin (Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Artist) – Intangible Cultural Heritage into Campus Program/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-非遗进校园
Zheng Hongbin (Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Artist) – On-site Demonstration/内画鼻烟壶郑宏宾-现场制作