Silverwork: Heqing, Xinhua, and the Old Town Shops

Silver in Yunnan was both ornament and savings. Families stored wealth in bracelets, hairpins, and ceremonial vessels, and a daughter's dowry might include several pieces. The Bai silversmiths of Heqing became known for fine filigree and repoussé work, while Naxi pieces tend toward bold, heavy forms with animal and floral motifs.

The craft survived the twentieth century in part because it adapted: religious objects, ethnic jewellery, and now tea ware and decorative pieces for visitors. The best workshops still use hand tools for the finishing stages, even when a rolling mill or casting setup does the heavy lifting.

Heqing is the regional centre, about an hour north of Lijiang, and Xinhua village nearby is full of small workshops. You can visit on the way to or from Shaxi, or as a half-day trip. The old town also has silversmiths, but many are retail fronts with a demonstration bench; ask whether the work is done on site or sent in from Heqing.

If you want to see the full process, go to a workshop in the morning. Hammering and annealing are best watched when the day is fresh, and the smiths are more likely to have time to explain what they are doing.

A real workshop smells of solder and hot metal, has half-finished pieces on the bench, and does not mind you asking questions. A showroom has glass cases, a fixed price list, and a demonstration that lasts ten minutes. Both can sell good work, but only one teaches you anything.

If you commission a piece, agree the design, weight, price, and completion date in writing. Ask for the silver content and a receipt. Custom work takes time; do not commission something the day before your flight.

Price silver by weight plus workmanship, not by the story. 'Ancient' pieces are usually new; genuine antiques are rare and expensive. Be sceptical of claims about Tibetan silver, which is often an alloy with little or no silver content. If the price seems too low for the weight, it probably is.

For a first purchase, a simple bangle or tea strainer is a better test of a workshop than an elaborate ornament. Wear it, use it, and see how it ages. Good silverwork should feel solid and slightly imperfect, not uniformly shiny.