WANGMAZI (王麻子) is a historic Chinese cutlery and scissors brand with roots in Beijing dating to 1651, during the Shunzhi era of the Qing dynasty. Over more than three centuries, the name has become synonymous with forged scissors, kitchen knives, and traditional Chinese blade-making craftsmanship. The brand is officially recognised as a “Zhonghua Laozihao” (China Time-Honored Brand), and its traditional scissors-forging technique is listed as part of China’s national intangible cultural heritage.1

The Ministry of Commerce’s Time-Honored Brand Digital Museum identifies Beijing Yichang Wangmazi Industry & Trade Co., Ltd. (北京栎昌王麻子工贸有限公司) as the enterprise associated with the WANGMAZI brand in its historical record.

The name WANGMAZI (王麻子) translates literally to “Wang the Pockmarked”. According to traditional accounts, the original shopkeeper was surnamed Wang and bore visible facial pockmarks. Customers began referring to his wares as “Wang Mazi” scissors, and what started as a personal nickname eventually became the commercial name of one of China’s most enduring cutlery brands. Unlike many modern Chinese brands created specifically for marketing purposes, WANGMAZI derives its identity from this old-fashioned epithet.

The traditional history of WANGMAZI begins in 1651, the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing dynasty. The early business was located outside Xuanwumen (宣武门) in Beijing and specialised in knives, scissors, and other iron goods. Its competitive advantage lay primarily in the superior quality of its scissors.2

Central to the early business model was a rigorous quality selection process known as “三看、两试” (Three Looks, Two Tests). This protocol required artisans to perform three visual inspections—examining the appearance, the cutting edge, and the pivot joint—followed by two functional tests assessing cutting performance and operational feel. Only products passing all five checks were deemed fit for sale, establishing a standard that became foundational to the WANGMAZI identity.3

WANGMAZI’s reputation extended beyond Beijing relatively early. In 1758, the Qing scholar Pan Rongbi (潘荣陛) mentioned the brand in Dijing Suishiji (《帝京岁时纪胜》), a text documenting Beijing customs and products, providing documentary evidence of its prominence by the mid-18th century.

By the early 19th century, the brand was sufficiently established that descendants of the original business adopted the signboard “三代王麻子” (Three Generations of Wang Mazi). In 1816, a shop at 135 Xuanwai Street, Beijing, formally used this name, and the WANGMAZI mark was subsequently engraved directly onto scissors as a recognisable trademark.

The brand eventually became one of two legendary names in Chinese scissor making, immortalised in the saying “南有张小泉，北有王麻子” (“Zhang Xiaoquan in the south, WANGMAZI in the north”). While Zhang Xiaoquan represented the Hangzhou tradition, WANGMAZI embodied the northern school of craftsmanship, occupying a pivotal position in the history of Chinese metalworking.

The core of WANGMAZI’s heritage is forging rather than mere assembly or stamping. Traditional production involved heating, forging, shaping, grinding, sharpening, assembling, and adjusting blades—a process demanding considerable manual skill to ensure the two blades functioned in unison.

This WANGMAZI scissors-forging technique was designated a National Intangible Cultural Heritage project in 2008 under the traditional craft category. Listed as project VIII-38 with Beijing as the declaring region, this distinction separates WANGMAZI from ordinary contemporary manufacturers, positioning it simultaneously as a consumer brand and a custodian of traditional Chinese craft.4

The “Black Tiger” scissors

One of WANGMAZI’s most historically significant products was the “黑老虎” (Black Tiger). Characterised by a dark, polished finish and sharp blades, these scissors earned their nickname through practical attributes including durability, smooth operation, strong construction, and consistent workmanship rather than elaborate branding. The Black Tiger remains an important symbol of the brand’s product history.5

Late Qing and Republican expansion

By 1936, historical records indicate approximately 70 workshops were associated with WANGMAZI production, employing over 300 people. This expansion demonstrated the brand’s evolution from a local shop into a broader production standard. However, this fame also invited imitation, with numerous businesses adopting similar names such as “True Wang Mazi” or “Old Wang Mazi”, underscoring the commercial value of the WANGMAZI reputation.6

Post-1949 reorganisation

Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing’s traditional scissors workshops were consolidated. In 1956, numerous small workshops were organised into cooperative structures, and in 1959, the WANGMAZI Scissors Factory was formally established with a registered trademark, transforming the traditional network into a modern industrial enterprise.

During the 1980s, WANGMAZI products received National Silver Awards, and exports expanded to Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia, associating the brand with broader Chinese manufacturing quality.

Crisis and bankruptcy

During China’s economic restructuring in the 1990s and early 2000s, the original industrial organisation faced severe difficulties. In 1995, the factory joined a larger industrial group but continued to struggle. In 2002, the scissors factory applied for bankruptcy protection, formally entering bankruptcy in January 2003. This period illustrates how a heritage brand can survive culturally even as its original corporate structure fails commercially.

The contemporary WANGMAZI brand seeks to integrate historical identity with modern manufacturing and design. Current brand strategy emphasises three core values:

• Inheritance (传承): Preserving traditional forging techniques and knife-and-scissors culture.
• Innovation (创新): Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and product development.
• Leadership (引领): Positioning WANGMAZI as a specialist in modern Chinese kitchen cutlery.

The brand aims to become a world-class benchmark for kitchen knives while promoting Chinese blade culture internationally.

Product range

While scissors remain the historical symbol, the modern portfolio has expanded to include:

• Kitchen knives
• Scissors
• Fruit and vegetable tools
• Peelers
• Sharpeners and whetstones
• Cutting boards
• Other kitchen-related cutting tools

This shift reflects a strategic transition from being primarily a scissors manufacturer to a comprehensive Chinese kitchen-cutlery brand.9

Design recognition

Modern WANGMAZI products have achieved international design acclaim, receiving an iF Design Award in 2022 and MUSE Design Awards gold awards in 2024 for two product series.7 This marks a strategic departure from selling nostalgia towards leveraging heritage as an asset for contemporary industrial design and global positioning.

WANGMAZI’s value proposition comprises multiple layers:

1. Historical value: Origins tracing to 17th-century Beijing.
2. Craft value: National intangible cultural heritage status for scissors forging.8
3. Brand value: Recognition as a household name beyond a specific workshop.
4. Cultural value: Association with traditional Beijing commerce and metalworking.
5. National-brand value: Official China Time-Honored Brand designation.9
6. Contemporary value: Competitiveness through product innovation and international design.10

Today, WANGMAZI is best understood as a historic Chinese cutlery brand that utilises traditional forging heritage as the foundation for modern kitchen knives, scissors, and household tools. Its differentiation lies in the combination of over 300 years of history, Beijing identity, national intangible cultural heritage status, and modern product innovation.

WANGMAZI is frequently compared to Zhang Xiaoquan (张小泉), the other legendary name in Chinese scissors.

The adage “南有张小泉，北有王麻子” effectively summarises their historical regional positioning.11

• 1651: Traditional founding date in Beijing.
• 1758: Documented in Dijing Suishiji.
• 1816: “Three Generations of Wang Mazi” appears as a shop sign.
• 1916–1936: Workshop production expands substantially; around 70 workshops recorded by 1936.
• 1956: Beijing reorganises traditional knife-and-scissors workshops.
• 1959: WANGMAZI Scissors Factory established; trademark formally registered.
• 1980s: Products receive national-level quality recognition; overseas market expansion.
• 2002–2003: Original scissors enterprise enters bankruptcy and restructuring.
• 2008: Scissors-forging technique enters the national intangible cultural heritage list.
• 2010/2011: Receives China Time-Honored Brand recognition.
• 2020: Enters new modernisation phase; positioned as “China Kitchen Knife Expert”.
• 2022: Products receive iF Design Award.
• 2023: Passes review for continued China Time-Honored Brand status.
• 2024: Two product series receive MUSE Design Awards gold awards.

1. 品牌故事-北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
2. 王麻子
3. 张小泉剪刀
4. 王麻子行业首创“购刀无忧计划”：以百年匠心，定义行业新标准-新闻中心-北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
5. 百年传承 非遗之光-新闻中心-北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
6. 百年传承 非遗之光-新闻中心-北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
7. 北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
8. 新闻中心-北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
9. 产品中心
10. 百年王麻子-北京王麻子科技股份有限公司
11. 四大系列