The ancient art of liuli has, in recent years, been given a new lease on life. Liuli is Chinese glass artwork, a craft that has been around since the 11th century BC. Creating these beautiful glass ornaments, tableware, and jewelry is an incredibly complicated and time-consuming process, demanding great technical skill and patience. However, the results are delicate, elegant crystal works, each one impossible to replicate and each one unique. Liuli stands out because of its many bright colors. The technique employed by liuli artisans is referred to as "pâte-de-verre," or lost-wax casting, in which a glass powder is mixed with colorants and fired at exceptionally high temperatures. Because each model can only be used once and the colors can vary so much, every individual liuli craftwork is truly one of a kind. Pale green liuli beads date back to the Western Zhou Dynasty, and liuli handicrafts flourished during the Tang Dynasty, when the word liuli became popular. By the 19th century, this glass casting technique was no longer practiced. It wasn't until 1968, when the earliest example of "pâte-de-verre" was discovered in China, that archaeologist realized that liuli was an artform founded in China. The discovery drove local artists to revive the tradition. None has done more to reinstate liuli than Loretta Hui-shan Yang and Chang Yi. In 1987, they established a small company named Liuligongfang and opened a workshop in Tamshui. Without any experience at all, Yang was determined to ensure that this Chinese tradition would not be lost forever. After massive investment and much trial and error, Liuligongfang finally found its feet, and Yang and Chang built up a reputation as the founders of contemporary Chinese glass art. There are now almost 70 Liuligongfang galleries, and some of their artworks form part of internationally renowned museums' permanent collections. For Liuligongfang founders, each individual artifact should capture the history of liuli. At the same time, Liuligongfang strives to give a modern twist to this ancient art.