A team of Chinese researchers has successfully reconstructed a long-lost Ming Dynasty goldsmithing technique, shedding new light on the remarkable craftsmanship behind some of imperial China’s finest jewellery.
The study, published in npj Heritage Science, focuses on Jin zhe si, a sophisticated decorative technique that produced ultra-thin folded and corrugated gold sheets with a distinctive satin-like texture. Although the method is described in historical records, the exact manufacturing process had remained a mystery for centuries.
The research centred on a pair of gold gourd-shaped earrings recovered from the tomb of Prince Zhu Zairong, a Ming Dynasty prince who died in AD 1545. His tomb, located in Hubei Province, is one of several princely burials that have yielded exceptional examples of Ming gold jewellery.
Using microscopic analysis alongside experimental archaeology, the researchers closely examined the original earrings before attempting to recreate them. Historical texts were combined with reverse engineering techniques to reconstruct each stage of production and determine how ancient craftsmen achieved the jewellery’s intricate folded forms.
The experiments revealed that the extraordinary ductility of high-purity gold was the key to the process. Researchers tested gold, silver and aluminium foils under identical conditions and found that only high-purity gold could be folded repeatedly into the complex three-dimensional shapes required without cracking or breaking.
The successful reconstruction demonstrates that the distinctive texture was created by carefully folding and corrugating extremely thin gold foil, rather than by engraving or embossing the metal after shaping.
According to the research team, the findings bridge the gap between historical descriptions of Jin zhe si and the surviving archaeological evidence. The study also provides valuable insight into the advanced metalworking skills of Ming Dynasty artisans, whose techniques had largely been lost over time.
Beyond improving understanding of Ming craftsmanship, the researchers say the work contributes to the preservation and revival of traditional Chinese goldsmithing. By combining scientific analysis with hands-on reconstruction, the project offers a model for investigating other historic manufacturing techniques that survive only in written records and archaeological finds.
The study was carried out by researchers Tian Zhihao, Ren Kai and Jiang Zhenyu of the Gemmological Institute at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan.
Sources : Tian, Z., Ren, K. & Jiang, Z. Restoration of Ming dynasty Jin zhe si: a lost Chinese goldsmithing technique. npj Herit. Sci. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-026-02757-4
