In the blink of an eye, there are all kinds of things in the world. Borrowing from nature, wild walnuts produced in the mountains and mountains of Heilongjiang Are magically transformed into traditional Chinese figures such as Lao Tzu and Confucius who are sitting on their knees or standing on the shore under the carving of the tip of the knife. Looking at the vivid images on walnuts that are only the size of a thumb, many tourists who come to the Chinese Baroque historical and cultural district are amazed. These exquisite and elegant works are all written by Yang Fuchang, the third-generation inheritor of the provincial intangible cultural heritage of the "Old Street Mason" Qiuguo Nuclear Carving.
Three generations, from small objects to big ideas
Born in 1962, Yang Fuchang is a native of Harbin, and his ancestors came to the Guandong. When Grandpa was in Shandong before, he often loved to carve some things. After my father came to Harbin at the age of 16, he often carved walnuts into flower baskets, small bowls and other small objects in his free time. Influenced by my father, I loved to carve since I was a child, often carving something under his guidance. Yang Fuchang said.
Yang Fuchang said that nuclear carving is a traditional Chinese folk miniature carving process, mainly using fruit cores as raw materials for carving. Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas are dominated by olive cores, Shandong areas are mainly peach cores, jujube cores, father to Harbin after found the northeast wild pecans particularly good, he often used it to carve some things, but he did not carve characters. It is difficult to carve a character with a walnut, because this walnut is a few millimeters thick and less than 1 millimeter thin, and it needs to be creative according to its shape, and it is easy to carve and leak if you are not careful. "
Although he has been practicing carving since he was in his 10s, Yang Fuchang's incorporation of his thoughts into his works really began after he left the company in 2006 to start his own studio. In 2012, as a member of the organizing committee, Yang Fuchang participated in the organization of the Pennsylvania branch of the International Wood Carving Art Festival, responsible for the folk art part. In 2014, Yang Fuchang opened the "Old Street Mason" studio in the Chinese Baroque Historical and Cultural District, and his unique and stunning works finally have a place to show the world.
A small nuclear sculpture vividly shows the northeast style
Yang Fuchang said that nuclear carving pays attention to the heart, randomness, and shape. "Move with your heart, go with your heart, and carve with your form." Pecans have many strange shapes, and the more walnuts look "crooked and cracked dates," the more Yang Fuchang has the desire to create." After getting a pair of walnuts with a strange shape, I easily did not dare to put down the knife, and I had to spend a period of time to consider what subject matter to carve, because once the knife theme could not be changed. He said.
Because it is carved with shape, Yang Fuchang said that it is most ideal to use walnuts to carve traditional characters, because these characters can be more exaggerated, especially the eighteen arhats, descending dragons and tigers, etc., which can be well reflected in walnuts, and this is also the traditional Chinese culture.
Yang Fuchang told reporters that the Wenju walnut, which originated in the Han and Sui Dynasties, was popular in the Tang and Song dynasties, and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is china's traditional culture. Wen play walnut will gradually appreciate in value after playing, while nuclear carving increases the ornamental value of Wen play walnut, and through the character image and pattern to pin a beautiful meaning, expressing people's expectations and yearning for a better life.
In addition to traditional Chinese figures, Yang Fuchang has also created some works of northeastern style, urban life and urban characters. His award-winning works such as "Frugality" and "Smile Often Open" vividly show the living conditions of ordinary people. Yang Fuchang said that the work "Laughing Mouth Always Open" is carved in the image of an old man, in the past when running by the river in Daowai North Qidao Street, he would often meet an old man, because the old man's ears were a little back, no matter what others said to him, he laughed, "I was very impressed with him, so I wanted to carve him out, just a walnut texture similar to his demeanor, I carved a few knives with the shape." In fact, a lot of creation comes from the feelings of life, and your experience will naturally flow under the carving knife. "
Holding a fragrant tea in hand, it tells the colorful story of the city
Today, many of Yang Fuchang's nuclear sculptures have been collected by collectors. Yang Fuchang said that he could not survive on the nuclear carving technique, because the nuclear carving is mainly for people to play and appreciate, the practicality is very poor, so he opened the "Old Street Mason" studio in the Chinese Baroque Historical and Cultural Block, relying on the purple sand clay sculpture technology to ensure his life, taking into account the inheritance and development of nuclear carving skills.
In 2007, under the guidance of Huang Yuming and Xu Lanjun, Yang Fuchang began to study purple sand art. After years of doing so in the south and north, his purple sand skills have been continuously improved, and now he has been awarded the title of provincial ceramic art master. Yang Fuchang said that like nuclear sculptures, purple sand works can not only be watched, but also played.
Yang Fuchang's purple sand tea set, tea pet and clay sculpture are very popular with tourists, and many domestic and foreign tourists have taken a break in the "Old Street Mason". Yang Fuchang said that although the nuclear sculpture is small, it is slightly macro, and it also contains the oriental philosophy of one flower and one world. Holding fragrant tea in hand and having a simple heart is also a calm and calm attitude towards life.
Yang Fuchang said that the reason why his studio has been able to open in the Chinese Baroque Historical and Cultural District for 7 years is because he grew up in the compound outside the road, has a special nostalgia for the old road outside, and he hopes to do what he likes in this native place and familiar environment. When CCTV's "Nostalgia" column came to Harbin for an interview, Yang Fuchang introduced the life of the courtyard outside the old road to the host, and when domestic and foreign tourists came here to visit, he poured fragrant tea and told them the story of the city. Yang Fuchang used the small studio of "Old Street Masons" as a window to publicize Harbin, saying: "We are part of the city, and we all have the obligation to do so." Harbin is good, the old road is good, and we will naturally follow it. "
Source: Harbin News Network
Reporter: Feng Jiaowen / Han Wei photo / video shooting production
Editor: Wang Yue