Liuli Gongfang or Liuligongfang () is Taiwan's only contemporary glass studio devoted to artistic Chinese glassware. Since its establishment in 1987 Liuligongfang has become known in Asia and abroad for its outstanding artistic endeavours and its high standard of craftsmanship. Liuligongfang was founded in 1987 by actress Loretta Yang and director Chang Yi. Their name refers to liuli, a form of archaic Chinese glasswork; the founders chose to use the word liuli, rather than the common name for glass, boli (玻璃) to honor their cultural origin. The founders aimed to revive the art of antique Chinese art glass, the production of which had dwindled following the First and Second Opium Wars in the 19th century. Yang mortgaged her house and those of all her family members in order to gain start-up capital. After much trial and error, costing $1 million and taking more than three years, she and Chang were able to master the French pate-de-verre or lost-wax casting method. At the time of their founding, they operated a two-person workshop in Tamsui, Taipei County (now New Taipei City). Yang and Chang originally had a fairly strict division of labour, with Yang handling the artistic aspects of their work, while Chang managed finances and other business responsibilities; with Chang's 1997 heart attack, Yang has taken over more of Chang's responsibilities as well, including contact with the media. As of 2008, Liuli Gongfang employed 900 employees in 67 locations around the world, including 1 location in United States: South Coast Plaza, Orange County. Premium Retailers include Wynn in Las Vegas, Gump's in San Francisco, David Orgell in Las Vegas , London Jeweler and Corning Museum in New York. Their successes have earned them the moniker of "founders of contemporary Chinese glass art" and "the Georg Jensen of the glassware world". Works created by Liuli Gongfang have become part of the permanent collection of London's Victoria and Albert Museum as well as the Palace Museum in Beijing's Forbidden City. People First Party chairman James Soong, during his visit to mainland China (the second Taiwanese politician to do so, after that of Lien Chan), presented Communist Party General Secretary Hu Jintao with a Liuli Gongfang sculpture ; Hu gave him Jingde porcelain in return. Loretta Hui-Shan Yang A renowned performing artist in the Taiwan cinema, twice winner of the award for Best Leading Actress at the Golden Horse Awards and winner of the