How long does it take to make a wooden stool?
From the beginning of material selection, to the cutting of the plate, to the production and installation, to the completion of the polishing, 58-year-old Lu Xiangning spent an hour.
As an old carpenter, this speed is actually not fast.
However, Lu Xiangning is a blind man.
In 1963, Lu Xiangning was born in Natong Town, Long'an, Guangxi.
At the age of 3, Lu Xiangning often shed tears because of the discomfort of his eyes. At first, the family did not pay too much attention, thinking that just the eyes entered the foreign body, just rub it.
Time passed day by day, but Lu Xiangning's eyes were still in excruciating pain. Realizing that the problem was somewhat serious, his parents took him to the health center for examination, and who expected that when he found out, it was glaucoma.
Due to the limited medical conditions at that time, coupled with the poverty of Lu Xiangning's family and the lack of money for medical treatment, the young Lu Xiangning gradually lost sight of things after a short time, until he was blind in both eyes.
Before appreciating the colors of this colorful world, Lu Xiangning's life has entered the darkest moment.
Being blind at a young age means that Lu Xiangning can no longer read and write like other normal people, and even simple self-care for life will become a problem.
Coupled with being born in the countryside, blindness also means incapacity to work.
Will it become a "wasted man"? Where is Lu Xiangning's future?
Fate played a big joke with him, but Lu Xiangning's family never gave up on him.
His parents tried their best to start with simple clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, and began to teach him some basic self-care knowledge of life.
Perhaps as the saying "God closes a door, he also opens a window" saying, although Lu Xiangning is blind, his understanding is excellent. The knowledge taught by his parents, as long as he says it two or three times, he can quickly grasp the essence.
Growing up day by day, Lu Xiangning gradually developed the idea of no longer relying on his parents after mastering the ability to take care of himself in life. Lu Xiangning felt that he should have a future of his own and could not always rely on his parents.
At the age of 12, Lu Told his parents what he thought, saying he wanted to learn a technique. Although the parents did not hinder, but at the same time they also made difficulties, what technology can a blind person learn? Who would want to teach him?
"I'm blind, but I still have my hands." In this way, the young Lu Xiangning found a village smith and planned to worship him as a teacher and learn to weave chicken coops.
Lu Xiangning's repeated door-to-door pleading made the smith see the sincerity and persistence of this blind teenager, and finally decided to take him as an apprentice.
At first, because there was no technical foundation, and there was no way to see the size and line of bamboo and rattan, Lu Xiangning learned badly, either his fingers were cut, or he was hit in the face by the shaking bamboo chips.
But Lu Xiangning did not give up, he spent several months of continuous groping, learned to use his palms and fingers to perceive the lines of bamboo pieces and rattans, and remembered the details of each step of operation.
In this process, the master smith also found that Lu Xiangning's hands were extremely flexible and extremely talented for manual work, so he also guided more carefully, making Lu Xiangning progress rapidly.
Soon, Lu Xiangning's weaving skills were already very exquisite. Chicken coops, bamboo baskets, bamboo baskets, etc., he all learned to do it, because these can be used to sell for money.
As the years progressed, he also became a well-known local smith, and at the same time learned to give people keys.
Although he was blind, Lu Xiangning did not become a burden on his family, and as a young man, he had learned to share the financial pressure of his family.
Times are evolving, and the industry is changing.
In order to be able to pick up the beams in the family, Lu Xiangning had to consider expanding his business line. After the smith, he also had to learn to be a carpenter.
Unlike the carpenter, carpentry needs to master more knowledge, the so-called "one material, two lines, three dozen eyes", is the basis for measuring whether a carpentry basic skill is solid.
However, for the blind Lu Xiangning, it was really difficult to go to the sky. What's more, this time there was no master to teach, he could only rely on his own thinking.
"One material" refers to the selection and cutting of materials. Lu Xiangning could not see the color and texture of the wood, so he could only collect all kinds of wood first, and his family told him what kind of wood it was, and then he remembered it in his own unique way.
Use your nose to smell the wood and use your hands to feel the texture of the wood. Over time, Lu Xiangning had practiced a unique skill, and as long as he groped, he could know what kind of tree the wood came from.
In an interview, Lu Xiangning said: "Local common pine trees, camphor trees, etc., I can touch the grain with my hand and feel the weight, I can know what kind of material, others can't deceive me." ”
When learning planing, because he could not observe with his eyes, he could only rely on the continuous groping of his hands to check whether the wood was planed straight. Because he was constantly exposed to sharp tools, his fingers were often injured.
Although it takes much more hardship than ordinary people, Lu Xiangning has never regretted it.
"Second line" refers to drawing a line. According to normal, when drawing lines, the same specifications of wood should be placed together, clamped to the return party to draw a unified line, generally will use the eyelet ink line.
Lu Xiangning couldn't do this, he could only find a method that suited him. Although the eyes are blind, the fingers have become his most accurate "scale", supplemented by "measuring tools" such as axe handles, although they cannot be as accurate as normal people, but this is already very remarkable.
"Three dozen eyes" refers to a chiseled hole. Hit the whole eye, hit the half eye are exquisite, improper handling will make the eye mouth wood cracked, if the fight is not straight and asymmetrical, the wood on both sides can not be docked then the previous achievements are abandoned.
In the beginning, Lu Xiangning was either a chiseled blade or a hammer thug. His learning process was always accompanied by skin and flesh and blood spatters, but he always gritted his teeth and persevered, and later learned to use machines.
The eyes can't see, but the hands can touch, the ears can hear, a pair of skillful hands plus a "listening to the sound to distinguish the position" kung fu, Lu Xiangning finally realized.
The hammer smashed on his hand, the chainsaw cut his fingers, Lu Xiangning never flinched, he said: "I like carpentry work, so I must learn, and I must learn well." ”
Wooden stools, round tables, beds, cabinets...
Finally, Lu Xiangning mastered more and more furniture production methods.
In the past, when the economic conditions were not as good as they are now, the furniture in the countryside was basically made by himself, or someone to order, and more than 80% of the benches in Lu Xiangning's village were made by him.
Because Of Lu Xiangning's exquisite craftsmanship and loyalty, he did not lose love because of blindness.
Like normal people, Lu Xiangning also successfully married and had children at the age of the head of the male family.
Lu Xiangning completely provoked the beams of the family, and with his efforts, the two sons also received a good education and grew up like the children of normal families.
Relying on a carpentry job, the blind Lu Xiangning supported a family of four, and now the family has built a new building.
"The desk, the bed, the cupboard, he made it all. Because my husband has a craft, it basically does not cost money to buy furniture at home. In the eyes of his wife Zhou Yuming, his blind husband is the most proud.
"If I could see the light again, the first person I wanted to see was her." For his wife, Lu Xiangning reflects the tenderness of a tough guy. Lu Xiangning said that the person she was most sorry for was her wife, and she had paid a lot for this family.
There is such a great neighbor, and the villagers also have great admiration for Lu Xiangning, praising him: "Don't wait, don't rely on, and spell out a piece of heaven and earth by yourself." ”
Mr. Lu Xun once said that a true warrior dares to face a bleak life.
Blindness, for a child as young as 3 years old, this should be a misfortune. Since the age of 3, Lu Xiangning has lived in endless darkness for more than 20,000 days and nights, but he always has a guiding light in his heart.
He knew that even though he was a blind man, he could not be a burden on others.
Faced with a heavy reality, Lu Xiangning chose to love from the bottom of his heart. He did not give in, and he did not give up, he came out of the suffering and lit up the hope of a family.
Fate gave him darkness, and he fumbled for light with his hands.
Lu Xiangning is unfortunate, but he has personally created his own happy life.
People who work hard to live and stick to their beliefs deserve admiration.