Wrought iron is a primitive forging process that prevailed in the countryside before the 1980s. Today, with the development of mechanization, this traditional skill, which has symbols of multiple dynastic civilizations, has declined. But in Zhanjiang Taiping Town, there are still such "original" blacksmith shops. Today, let's focus on the Taiping Blacksmith Shop and explore this ancient handicraft between the collision of sparks!
The first of the three sufferings endures the heat of the furnace day and night
As the folk saying goes, "Three sufferings in life: striking iron, punching boats, and grinding tofu". Punching a boat is a boat trip between the wind and waves, and there is a danger of overturning the ship at any time; selling tofu requires three more sleeps and five more rises, doing donkey work, and only a small amount of money that can be subsistence; and blacksmithing is to endure the heat day and night by the furnace, living is like going to hell, ranking first among the three sufferings.
"If you don't want to read, go to the iron with me." The 53-year-old Han Yezuo, a Taiping man from Mazhang, Zhanjiang, has been formally taking over the blacksmith craft from his father for more than 20 years, and every time the child does not study seriously, he admonishes him.
"It's very hard, and now young people don't understand or like the craft." Mr. Han learned the craft of blacksmithing in his 10th year, but he really ran the blacksmith shop at the age of 30 and after family pressure. In his words, "Who does such hard work if they don't have to support their families?"
In the past, there were more than 10 blacksmith shops in taiping town alone, but now, the surge in employment opportunities in all walks of life, coupled with the impact of mechanized production, there are very few people in Zhanjiang who are still adhering to and inheriting iron.
It takes craftsmanship, but also strength and endurance
The blacksmithing process may seem simple, but it is not easy to learn. The blacksmith must first have a good body, the heavy sledgehammer rises and falls in turn, it needs strength and endurance, and a good blacksmith needs to accumulate experience continuously.
Traditional blacksmith tools are blacksmith furnace, wind box, hand hammer, anvil, sledgehammer, grinding stone, etc., the blacksmith shop is also called "blacksmith furnace", a large stove is placed in the middle of the house, the hearth frame is a bellows, the bellows is pulled, the wind enters the furnace, and the flames in the furnace are jumping straight up.
"In order to ensure that the fire is strong enough and hot enough, I have to pull the bellows once every half a minute, and I have to forge iron while forging iron, sweating all over my body is the norm, and it is even more difficult to survive in the summer." All along, Han Yezuo has no helpers, and he often has to pay double the hard work to play iron alone. Nowadays, in the blacksmith shop of Han Ye domain, electric hair dryers have replaced artificial bellows, which is a great "burden reduction" for him.
In the hands of old blacksmiths like Han Yezuo, plows, rakes, hoes, pickaxes, sickles, kitchen knives, spatulas, planers, scissors, door knockers, bubble nails, door plugs and other finished products of domestic iron can be forged.
The iron to be forged is first placed in the furnace to burn red, and then moved to the large iron pier, in the forging process, only by visual inspection of the continuous turning of the iron, the hard iron block can be changed square, round, long, flat, pointed, and finally become a product.
The brilliance is gone, but it is still irreplaceable
Han Ye's blacksmith shop business is not as good as before. From the former "eighteen-like" iron tools, now only need to hit the shovel, iron hook, bracelet three things. The cost of coal a day is 50 yuan, in order to save the cost of the furnace, he used to collect enough orders, about three days to open the furnace.
Compared with the ironware sold in the market, the price of traditional hand-forged iron is relatively higher. The processing fee of shovels, iron hooks and bracelets played by Han Ye domain is 40, 25 and 50 yuan per piece. But despite this, there are still many regular customers in the local villages and towns. Surrounding construction workers also came to the scene, and several shovels and hooks were applied at a time. "The iron I strike is harder and more durable than what I sell on the market." Han Yeyu said confidently.
There are also tourists from Guangxi, Maoming and other places who specially look for Han Ye to forge a bracelet with special meaning. Legend has it that the bracelet forged from the old ship nails symbolizes smooth and safe, and the children wear variable and well-behaved, and the first nail of a ship is the most precious. For these good intentions, many people do not hesitate to buy rusty nails at a high price, and then pay another processing fee for the master to forge them.
Although playing iron is hard, in the past, it can bring a considerable income. "In the 1970s and 1980s, people were generally poor, but I often had pocket money because my father was a blacksmith." Recalling the past, Han Yeyu smiled happily.
"Now I only earn 3,000 yuan a month, and I can only support my family." Han Yezuo said that although his income was not as good as before, he had more feelings for the inheritance of the craft in his heart. He said that he would continue to insist on it, and he also hoped that this ancient chinese handicraft would always be remembered and passed on.
【Writing/Photo/Video】Maxrong
【Author】 Mai Sirong; Chen Siliang
【Source】 Southern Press Media Group South + client