Remember the long history of Taoyuan wood carving craft

One kilometer east of Wuling Pavilion is the calm and restrained Changde Museum. At the time when the winter was over, the "Taoyuan Nightmare - Li Anhua Taoyuan carved bed boutique exhibition" held here broke the silence of the past. In addition to attracting local tourists, there are tour groups from Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc., who come to visit one after another. When people appreciate the beauty of their art, they can't help asking: Whose hands are these carved beds? Where is this art of carving?

Simply answer: "Tao Yuan Gong."

"Tao Yuan Gong", the source of craftsmanship in the Royal Palace

The so-called "Taoyuangong" is the abbreviation for handicrafts involving stonework, woodcarvings, embroidery, and jade carvings related to architecture, home furnishings, and cultural exchanges. Because of the large number of practitioners, it is famous for its long history and unique artistic style.

The formation of "Taoyuangong" has its unique historical origin.

Since the Tang Dynasty, Changde was the land of the Song Dynasty. According to historical records, Ming Xiaozong Koji four years, Ming Xianzong the twelfth child Zhu Shu Feng Wang Yu Changde. For the construction of the palace, a large number of skilled craftsmen were mobilized to the capital to bring about exquisite court skills. This technique was gradually merged with the geophysical craftsmanship. In particular, when Li Zicheng lost his troops to the hidden temple in the late Ming Dynasty, the number of soldiers and tens of thousands of court craftsmen were transferred to Changde. The craftsmen soldiers scattered around Shimen and Taoyuan. In the long years afterwards, the court craftsmanship and local craftsmanship were merged to form a unique style of craftsmanship that combines exquisite detail with rugged simplicity. Later generations called these craftsmen "Tao Yuan Gong."

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Taoyuangong developed to its peak. Taoyuan craftsmen are often called into the palace to create carvings, decorations and furniture for the royal family. The official buildings of the local government are "Taoyuangong".

Since **, however, the "Tao Yuan Gong" craftsmanship and his works have been devastated and their influence has declined.

In the mid-80s of the last century, Yue Yu Academy’s “Sexuality Days” and “Drama Southern Pulses” were in danger of being destroyed for a long time. Fortunately, Yang Shenchu, who was responsible for the restoration and research work of Yuelu Academy at that time, was in danger. Professor, selected masters and masters all over the country, and finally selected Zhu Wen'an and his wife for repairs. Zhu Wen'an, who is a native of Taojia Yuanjiaping, is a famous root art sculptor in China and a descendant of the palace sculpture in the Qing Dynasty. He is known as "the first knife in South China." After Zhu Wenan passed away, his son Zhu Deyuan inherited his father's divine knife.

Art techniques earlier than Picasso

The Taoyuan Woodcarving, which enjoys a good reputation in the collection industry, is a wonderful flower in the blossoming of "Taoyuangong".

Taoyuan Woodcarving inherited the artistic essence of the brick sculpture in the Han Dynasty. The atmosphere is delicate, fully embodies the theory of “whiteness is black and less is better” in Chinese traditional art. The shape is not exaggerated, the lines are concise but not simple. . “The landscape is a little decorative, but the artistic conception is far-reaching; its characters, both vertical and horizontal, are both pleasing; the flowers and birds are vivid and full.” In terms of artistic style, the Taoyuan woodcarvings were created in the 19th century by Picasso et al. The "three-dimensional painting school" has the same purpose, but it has been hundreds of years earlier.

Among the carved beds exhibited at the Changde Museum, there is a 108-step cabling machine in the Qing Dynasty known as the "screw-turning well". It covers an area of ​​13 square meters. It is said that at the time the bed was carved and a group of artisans were fully dry. More than 3 years. This bed has carved a total of 106 people, in ancient times to 108 as auspicious figures, coupled with a couple sleeping in bed, just coincidence 108, good fortune circle full of people in it. This bed carving can be described as a wonderful workmanship. There is no repetition of the five-tiered tooth pattern. Among them are the vast scenes of the “South of the Qianlong River”, where the civil servants have elegant Confucian ceremonies, and the scimitar figures have different charms; there are spring flowers, summer lotus, winter chrysanthemum, plum blossoms, floating fairy, and diligent farmer who cultivates Tian Long. Amused and amused golden boy and girl; There are all kinds of animal animals and plants flowers and flowers - the left of the money tree is a big vase, meaning the wealth and peace, dripping layers of flowers, touch the door Phoenix wings, set the plate flowers and birds into interesting, vision Nothing is surprising at all.

In terms of carving techniques, these carved beds include hundreds of cutting techniques such as round sculptures, reliefs, openwork carvings, and hollow sculptures. Each type of cutting technique is applied to perfection and every place is just right.

Another important step in the wood carving work is to paint, and the paint is good or bad, which directly affects the visual effect and the preservation period of the entire work. The 8-year-old apprentice, 58-year-old painter Zhang Huiqing, told the author that when painting, he should pay attention to "lighting," "lighting out," and "polishing." His most proud work so far is a wooden fish in the Taohuayuan Taohua concept. It has been hitting for 20 years as well as the new one, and the more polished it is, the brighter it is.

In addition to wood carvings, Taoyuan jade carvings and stone carvings are also famous. Taoyuan stone carving is very creative and powerful, especially known as the stone lion.

A group of devoted people who inherit skills

Since the 1980s, people of insight in Changde have begun to rescue private collections of Taoyuan woodcarvings and other works of Taoyuangong, and have done a lot of useful work.

Zhang Xuexiang, former head of the Jiulong Palace Woodcarving Research and Production Center in Changde City, was a person who had special feelings for Taoyuan wood carving. Since he studied at the Hunan Institute of Education, after Yue Yueshan met Zhu Wenan, who was repairing his imperial concubine, his life path changed in the later part of his life. In 1996, at the age of 42, he applied for the "protection of Taoyuan woodcarvings" for retirement and received a special approval. Then Zhu Wen'an and other large numbers of "Taoyuangong" passers joined him in the "court of wood carving research and production center." Today, more than 30 skilled craftsmen from the center are active in Changde, Hunan, and even across the country.

The Taoyuan carved bed exhibited at this time is a private collection of Li Anhua. She has collected hundreds of Taoyuan carved beds with her own strength, which is similar to a legend.

The artistic achievements of "Taoyuangong" have an important position in the history of Chinese arts and crafts, and there is a vast space for the research on its artistic value. At present, Changde City's cultural department is actively preparing to include "Taoyuangong" in the application content of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects, filling the gap in non-material cultural heritage folk arts and crafts categories.