The art of lacquer, known throughout Southeast Asia, is at its most developed in Myanmar. The resin of the lacquer tree (melanhorrea usitata) is used to cover objects made of wood, bamboo, or horsehair.
There are four techniques of decoration. Yùn í the technique of applying colors on incised designs. Shei-zawa is to draw motifs by gum solution, which then is pasted over with gold leaves. Thayò is used to create relief patterns by laying threads rolled from lacquer mixed with paddy husks or cow dung on the object before covering it with lacquer. Embedding fragments of colored mirrors, glass or precious stones on relief designs is called.
