Lacquer has a history of thousands of years in China. Its production process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the product is good for practical use and can serve as an object d’art as well.  Lacquer making is an art that is extensive and profound. Hence, it is regarded as a luxury that can only be enjoyed by the rich. In the past, various items used in daily life were closely related to lacquer.  With the development of civilization, the lacquer industry has declined and the art of lacquer making has turned into a traditional craft.

The lacquer industry in Taiwan began to flourish during the Japanese occupation (1895-1945). Lacquerware was an indispensable part of daily life for the Japanese. Therefore, the Japanese government planted lacquer trees in Hsinchu’s Beipu, Miaoli’s Tongluo, Nantou’s Puli during its occupation of Taiwan. Hsu Yu-ming (徐玉明), the manager of the Longnan Museum of Natural Lacquer Ware (龍南天然漆博物館), is engaged in lacquer art because it is his family’s business. Hsu’s grandfather planted lacquer trees in Miaoli in his early years. In 1962, his father Hsu A-long (徐阿龍) learned that the soil and climate in Puli, Nantou, were more suitable for growing lacquer trees, and the quality was better than that of Miaoli. So, he relocated his family to Puli, where he began to plant a large number of lacquer trees and established the "Longnan Natural Lacquer Company." From production, manufacturing to marketing, the company supplies 85 percent of Taiwan's raw lacquer production, and was known as the king of raw lacquer.

At that time, lacquer workers’ income was high, but the work was very tough. Lacquer cannot be obtained during the day. Under the sunlight, the pipe inserted into the lacquer tree will shrink and no juice flows out. Therefore, the lacquer cutting operation usually starts at midnight.  At 12:00 midnight, lacquer workers, each wearing a flashlight on his head and holding a bark knife, begin their work and labor away until dawn.

According to Hsu, the lacquer produced by his company was very popular in the Japanese market. However, in 1986, Typhoon Wayne devastated Nantou County, destroying nearly 90% of the lacquer trees in Puli. As a result, farmers switched to growing betel nut trees. Impacted by changes of the industrial structure, China's taking over of market share, and rising wage costs, Taiwan’s natural lacquer market has gradually declined and has become a sunset industry, and Longnan Natural Lacquer Company has become the only remaining industry player in Taiwan.

Hsu has gone through the impacts of Typhoon Wayne, the September 21, 1999 Earthquake, and a factory fire which destroyed lacquer trees, lacquerware collections, and lacquer works. Yet, he still keeps his chin up like an undaunted Hakka and is standing tall, finding ways to drive himself forward.

In the early years, in order to gain a deep understanding of the technology of lacquer making, Hsu and his brother Hsu Yu-fu (徐玉富) studied the chemical application of natural lacquer from professors in the Department of Chemistry of Tokyo University, Japan. He also hired Japanese natural lacquer chemistry experts to advise on the collection, preservation and improvement of Taiwanese lacquer. Hsu started from the basic properties of lacquer and then expanded his knowledge. He said that he must have tried it himself before it can be delivered to the hands of customers. The unity of the Hsu brothers has made Longnan Natural Lacquer Company's brand a leader in the industry.

Lacquer carving is a craft artifact of the ancient Chinese royal court, and it has always enjoyed a high status in society as well as high artistic value. According to historical records, the technique of lacquer carving became mature in the 13th to 14th centuries. The so-called lacquer carving means stacking layers of lacquer to a certain thickness, and then carving out delicate patterns with a relief knife.

Hsu Yu-ming said: "Chinese lacquer adds a lot of tung oil, and cracks will occur in about 60 years. Japanese lacquer is thickened by adding a lot of mineral powder. Longnan uses entirely natural lacquer. The layers are built up one at a time. Each time you add a layer, you have to wait for the previous layer to dry before applying new lacquer. When it is two or three hundred layers thick, then you can carve and paint it. This way of making lacquerware means it won't break even after two hundred years."

The lacquer carving process is complicated, which is why lacquer art was prized in ancient times.