A flowering culture

IMPERIAL BRICKS

Imperial bricks were made exclusively for royal buildings, especially palaces, under the Ming and Qing dynasties. Mainly made in Suzhou, the bricks were transported through the Grand Canal to Beijing. They have a fine texture, but are resilient. They boast a pure cyan color like a mirror and produce a metallic sound when knocked. Given their high cost, they are aptly called the golden bricks. The craft is on the national-level intangible cultural heritage list since 2006.

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