For more than a thousand years, Tang Sancai has been the ceramic the Chinese state reaches for when it wants to say something lasting. In the 1970s and 1980s, Chinese leaders presented Luoyang Tang Sancai to the heads of state and government of more than fifty countries; the Ministry of Culture calls it an “oriental artistic treasure.” With China hosting APEC 2026, that tradition has a new moment — and a new audience.
An official gift with a documented history
Tang Sancai — “three-colour” lead-glazed pottery in amber, green and cream — is not a recent invention for the gift market. It was the decorative art of the Tang court, and in modern times it became one of China’s most recognised state gifts. According to the Ministry of Culture, from the 1970s through the 1980s, Party and state leaders gave Luoyang Tang Sancai craftworks to the presidents, monarchs and prime ministers of more than fifty countries. Premier Zhou Enlai is recorded as presenting it to foreign heads of state in the early years of the People’s Republic. The pieces on this page belong to that line of work.
Why Tang Sancai works as a formal gift
A good official gift has to do several things at once: carry meaning, survive the journey, and never feel like a throwaway. Tang Sancai does all three.
- It is unmistakably Chinese. A glazed horse or camel is read as Chinese cultural heritage the moment it is seen — no explanation needed.
- It is a recorded tradition of state gifting. The same object you give has been given by Chinese leaders for half a century, so it arrives with precedent, not improvisation.
- It is handmade and limited. Each piece is built and glazed by hand and fired twice; the glaze never runs the same way twice, so no two are identical.
- It travels well. Pieces are packed individually for long-distance shipping, signed, numbered and issued with a certificate of authenticity.
The APEC 2026 opportunity
2026 is the APEC “China Year.” As host, China has the region’s attention on its cities, its industries and its culture — and APEC has already become a stage for Chinese traditional products. At the 2026 APEC Digital Week in Chengdu, “Tianfu good products” including intangible-cultural-heritage crafts were shown to delegates from across the Asia-Pacific. A heritage object like Tang Sancai fits naturally into that moment: a gift that is both a cultural statement and a collectible, suitable for the delegates, partners and institutions that APEC brings together.
Gift-ready by default
Every Wemings piece is prepared for giving, not just for display.
Making it yours for an official order
For state, corporate and institutional gifting we can adapt a piece to the occasion:
- Editioning for an event — a numbered, limited run created for a summit, anniversary or signing ceremony.
- Presentation — gift boxing, bilingual certificates and cards, and discreet customisation where appropriate.
- Scale and subject — from a single signature horse to a matched set built around a theme or a delegation.
- Quantity — trade and official volumes are handled as commissions, planned around the firing schedule rather than taken from shelf stock.
Start a gift enquiry
If you are planning gifts for a delegation, an institution or a corporate occasion — especially around APEC 2026 — tell us the occasion, the number of pieces and the timeline. We will propose subjects, editions and presentation, and quote lead time from the workshop schedule.
Browse the collection to see the forms we make, or contact us with “Official Gift” in the subject to begin an enquiry.