Although the use of lacquer has an ancient history in China, Japanese lacquerware has long been considered a specialized art of its own. Although China and Japan did not share official diplomatic relations in the 18th century, Japanese lacquerware still became a popular commodity in China at the time. As the trade of precious metals steadily increased between these two countries, the number of merchant ships bound for Japan began to gradually increase. Viewed as valuable articles of trade, lacquer objects traveled on these ships from Japan and into China's art market.

        During the late Ming dynasty, Japanese lacquerware was often used in the scholar's studio as furniture, writing utensils, censers, and boxes. The early Ch'ing dynasty witnessed the prevailing view of Japanese lacquerware as containers for curios and seals. The tendency for the Chinese court to convert these lacquer boxes into miniature curio cabinets marked an even greater shift in function.

        Although Japanese lacquerware was sometimes criticized for its fragile nature, the paper-like delicacy was precisely why it continued to be so highly regarded. Admiration and appreciation for these objects even stimulated the production of Japanese lacquerware by Chinese artisans. The Ch'ing imperial collection of Japanese lacquerware is evidence of this important cultural exchange