In November 2021, after the deliberation and approval of the 203rd Standing Committee of the Fifth Session of the District Committee and the 20th Standing Committee of the Fifth Session of the District CPPCC Committee, and the joint recommendation of various democratic parties, non-party personages and people's organizations, Liu Jianpeng, legal person and general manager of Beijing Yubifang Cultural Development Co., Ltd., was determined as a member of the Sixth Committee of the Beijing Changping District committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
In 2016, Yubifang settled in Xiaotangshan Town, Changping District, Beijing. At present, covering an area of more than 3,000 square meters, it focuses on the thick history of Chinese brush culture, and the general public can fully understand the more than 2,000 years of history of Yubifang, as well as the development and evolution of brush products and its development and evolution. Nowadays, Yubifang has become a well-known cultural business card of Xiaotangshan Town!
On the banks of the Guru River in Sundian Town, Xiangcheng City, Zhoukou, there is an ancient village, which is Ruyang Liu Village, the birthplace of the Royal Pen Workshop Brush.
In November 1991, Liu Jianpeng was born here. At that time, the people in the village made a living from pen making, and every household made pens, and there were many pen-making families and pen-making craftsmen, which derived well-known brands "Ruyang Liu" and "Royal Pen Workshop" that were well-known throughout the country and the province. Ruyang Liu brush has been popularized throughout the country, known as "Ruyang Liu in the north, lake pen in the south" reputation.
Liu Jianpeng introduced that the brush making process of the Royal Pen Workshop originated from the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Liu Qin, the seventh grandson of Liu Bang, was appointed as the county commander of Nandun (南敦, in modern Xiangcheng, Henan), and after Liu Qin's death, his son Liu Ji (劉縯) succeeded him as Nandun Ling. Liu Yan, the son of Liu Yiyi, brought the pen-making skills of the imperial palace to the people. After Liu Xiuguang restored the Han Dynasty as Emperor Guangwu, his nephew Liu Yan was named the "King of Imperial Pens", and Liu Yan became the ancestor of the first generation of imperial pen makers.
Yubifang treasures a huge pen, with a total length of 326 cm and a weight of 60 kg, which is a veritable "first in China" and is currently planning to declare the "Guinness World Records".
The pen-making skills from the Han Imperial Palace began to continue from generation to generation in Liu Village, Ruyang. Historically, Cao Cao, Wang Xizhi, Zhou Xingsi, Du Fu, Su Shi, Zhang Juzheng, etc. have all used the Royal Pen Workshop brush to write famous passages, which have been passed down through the ages. Zhang Boju, Qi Gong, etc. also used the Royal Pen Workshop brush inscription to paint, and left a wonderful historical moment, Ruyang Liu Village was named "the hometown of the magic pen" by the Henan Provincial Government.
Born in Si and raised in Si, Liu Jianpeng has a special affection for brushes. People have been fighting for their mission all their lives, and inheriting the cause of Yubifang has become Liu Jianpeng's unswerving goal.
3 years of apprenticeship, 128 processes of perseverance
The Royal Pen Workshop brush originated from the Eastern Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and flourished in contemporary times. For more than 2,000 years, the Liu family has passed on the torch from generation to generation, inheriting the ancient skill of the Chinese nation with hard work and wisdom, and has been regarded as a high-quality product by the literati and inkers of all generations.
"After graduating from university, under the guidance of my father," Liu Jianpeng said, he learned the brush making skills for three years," Liu Jianpeng said, "systematically mastering the spirit of the 128 processes and the essence of the Liu family's inheritance of brush making songs." ”
Spreading his hands, Liu Jianpeng's palms were covered with large and small cracks.
"In the past, there was no heating in the winter in my hometown, and the water boards for work were frozen. A basin of warm water that was just hit became cold after a while, and my hands have been soaking in the basin of cold water, and finally the body temperature has warmed the water again," Liu Jianpeng recalled this past.
Combing is a key step in making brushes, that is, combs made of sharp cow bones, combs the selected wool, ensures that each hair is "pointed and root is root", and the messy wool is combed to the roots, just like a strict and uniform army queue.
When combing the wool, it is necessary to sit in a good posture, cooperate with the hands and eyes, and be spirited, pressing the hair tongs with one hand and combing the hairs with the other hand; if you are distracted and distracted, the bone comb will pierce into the skin and flesh, the hand will be scratched, and the water in the basin will be stained red with blood. Fortunately, the cow bone itself is a medicinal herb, which has the effect of analgesic and swelling, and the wound will not be inflamed and infected.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the world, Liu Jianpeng, a young man after 90, endures loneliness, adheres to ingenuity, and does a good job in this pen.
A craft that drives a family out of poverty
The times are developing, writing instruments have undergone great changes, the popularity of fountain pens and ballpoint pens, the rise of computers, the shrinking of the brush market, and many factories have closed their doors.
In those years, Liu Jianpeng's fathers carried sacks full of brushes all day long, went out to explore the market, often for more than ten days without selling a brush, often starving, and did not eat after eating. At that time, they planted their lives with their backs to the loess and the earth, while insisting on the family's pen-making workshop.
With the revival of China's excellent traditional culture, Yubifang has won the honorary titles of "Chinese Time-honored Brand", "Intangible Cultural Heritage", "National Cultural Industry Demonstration Base" and so on.
In May 2019, Yubifang actively carried out technical poverty alleviation and held brush technology training courses for the corresponding poverty alleviation areas in Changping District: Shangyi, Taibu temple banner and Arukorqin banner, with a total of 360 disabled people trained. The brush production process is green and environmentally friendly, the amount of labor is light, and it can be employed after short-term training, which is especially suitable for the employment of the disabled.
At present, the project adopts the mode of household processing, each person completes two of the processes of brush processing, the average person can process 200 brushes per day, 1 3 cents profit, a month can earn 1800 yuan, can earn money without leaving home, and the income is also very stable. At present, Yubifang has provided jobs for more than 50 families with disabilities in Shangyi County, thus helping the disabled poor to achieve a stable increase in income and help them get rid of poverty.
"I smiled happily when I saw the children get the brush in their hands, and I also laughed when I saw the disabled learn the art of making brushes, and I cried when we recycled the brush and they thanked us for crying!" Liu Jianpeng, a simple and kind young man, does not say much, but he is a person with a personality.
Fan Youcai, a 60-year-old man living in Shangyi County, said with a smile: "The work of processing brushes has given me a stable income, even if I do a little less, I can earn 600 yuan a month, which solves my basic living problems, and I am very satisfied." ”
In November 2019, Yubifang opened a brush technology training class at the Wufu Nursing Home Entrepreneurship Base for the Disabled in Huailai County, Hebei Province.
At present, Wufu Nursing Home has 23 disabled people involved in the processing of brush production, processing 5,000 brushes per day, worth 75,000 yuan. They also set up a sales group for the disabled and produced a slogan of "Giving Love to Promote Culture to Help the Disabled Start Their Own Businesses" for the disabled to sell themselves. They combined with the purchase of the local education department to provide students with calligraphy to learn, which solved the problem of poverty alleviation for the disabled and also solved the gap in students' pens.
In March 2018, Liu Jianpeng obtained the patent certificate for brush design. In the same year, Yubifang was awarded the "Changping District Social Classroom Resources" unit.
In order to increase sales, Yubifang has carried out practical activities from 2019, receiving an average of 500 students per day, carrying out intangible cultural heritage into school activities in Henan, Shandong and Beijing, holding calligraphy competitions for primary and secondary school students, driving more than 2 million primary and secondary school students to participate in calligraphy activities, which greatly solved the problem of product sales.
The Royal Pen Workshop Brush was also selected as a national gift product by the CCTV Calligraphy and Painting Channel, representing Chinese culture to go abroad.
"Through 3 years of efforts, Yubifang will cooperate with Daliushu Village in Xiaotangshan Town to build a brush cultural village with an annual output value of 50 million yuan, solve the employment of 200 people, and integrate brush production, sales and excursions, so as to achieve one village and one product." Liu Jianpeng said.
As one of the 67th generations of the Royal Pen Workshop Brush, Liu Jianpeng insists on inheritance, innovation, promotion and development, step by step, persistently adheres to his brush dream, and never gives up. The ideal in Liu Jianpeng's heart is to inherit the brush culture, let the brush culture shine in innovation, and promote the development of a local culture and even the economy, hoping that his dream can be realized as soon as possible!
Text/Yu Lei
Some of the images were provided by the respondents
Editor/Xie Qi