Dai Xiuyi, 68, is the fifth generation inheritor of the mask-making skills. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Langxi County CPC Committee
In a humble simple tile house hanging from the edge of the city in Meizhu Town, Langxi County, Anhui Province, Dai Xiuyi, 68, after carefully examining for a moment, thoughtfully returned to the workbench, holding a knife in his left hand and a hammer in his right hand, and finally polished a mask that was about to be completed.
Such a scene, for Dai Xiuyi, who is obsessed with the mask, has long been accustomed, although he can't remember how many drawings and wood were spent, but as of now, more than 600 masks from his hand are engraved with a persistence, but also a love.
Dai Xiuyi, the provincial non-hereditary inheritor of the mask making technique, for more than 30 years, he has not left the knife in his hand, adhering to the inheritance of the mask making technique, and guarding the craft of mask carving with a carving knife.
Dai Xiuyi's apprenticeship is not very early, when he was 38 years old, he only studied under Lao Zhangren, and so far, he is already the fifth generation of the inheritance of the mask making skills.
Before that, he was actually a Chinese teacher, because lao Zhangren was the inheritor of the skill, and when he had time, he would help to lay the groundwork. With the foundation of writing and painting, coupled with a high level of understanding, Dai Xiuyi soon gained the appreciation of the old man, and the original practice of "passing on men and not women, passing on inside and not outside" came to him and opened a "gap".
Dai Xiuyi is painting the mask. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Langxi County CPC Committee
As soon as the gong and drum sounded, the dance began.
When watching his peers wearing mysterious ancient noodles, and dancing around with the sound of banging and waving the props in their hands, a seed of curiosity about The culture was planted in Dai Xiuyi's heart. Since then, he has formed an indissoluble relationship with the protection of the mask culture.
In 1988, Dai Xiuyi officially worshipped under lao Zhangren and began to learn the carving technique of the mask. From the beginning of the layman, to today's inheritors, more than 30 years of conditions, Dai Xiuyi "slash and plow", decades as a day to adhere to the mask of the unpopular craft.
The mask is known as "a thousand gods and a thousand faces", from the image point of view alone, some are severe and sharp, some have thick eyebrows, some have grinning teeth, and some are gentle and elegant... Although each is different, in Dai Xiuyi's eyes, as long as he grasps the main points and concentrates on research, he can carve good works on the basis of inheritance.
Dai Xiuyi, who is nearly seventy years old, explains the culture of Wu to the children in the school. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Langxi County CPC Committee
Meizhu town's noodle making skills are heavy on knife work, a mask from the selection of materials, blanks to processing, carving, and then to polishing, color, often need to go through more than ten processes, sometimes a pair of works to complete, it takes as little as a week, more than a month of effort.
"If you want to be a good carver, in addition to being able to withstand loneliness and calm down, you must also dare to innovate." Dai Xiuyi was deeply touched that today, the carving art of the mask has long surpassed the meaning of past sacrifices and has become an intangible cultural heritage.
"Due to the long and difficult time of learning art, it takes at least 3 years to become a qualified noodle craftsman." Dai Xiuyi said bluntly, and because of this, the mask gradually faded out of people's vision and was forgotten by many people.
Dance "Dance Five Rampant". Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Langxi County CPC Committee
The times are changing, the audience is changing, but Dai Xiuyi's original intention of making the mask has never changed. Compared with the current market price of 2500 yuan, Dai Xiuyi is more concerned about the fact that this craft must be able to be passed on, and cannot let decades of craftsmanship break the string.
Now, the elderly Dai Xiuyi, the most troublesome thing for himself is the lack of successors. Today, for him, he is not only a craftsman, but also a "shou" artist, carving a mask, not only his tool for making a living, but also his protection of traditional wu culture.
"I hope to find young people who are really willing to learn, have hobbies, can paint, and preferably have a certain cultural foundation, and leave this craft behind and pass it on." Dai Xiuyi said. (Wang Ruihua)
Source: People's Daily - Anhui Channel