Editor's note: Sponsored by the Guangdong Provincial Federation of Literature and Literature, the Guangdong Provincial "Star of the New Century" art exhibition and performance activity is an activity brand that promotes outstanding young and middle-aged literary and artistic talents in our province. Since 1996, it has been successfully held for 11 sessions, and a large number of outstanding young and middle-aged writers and artists in various art disciplines in our province have become the leading figures in the literary and artistic circles of our province. On the occasion of the opening of the new Guangdong Province "New Century Star" art exhibition, we will review the footprints of previous winners and draw strength forward.
People who have seen Lingnan brick carving say that brick carving is like a painting with a variety of themes, green brick Daiwa, which is unforgettable and makes people regain a period of amazing old time.
He Shiliang is the inheritor of brick carving of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects. He said that on the basis of traditional technical styles, his brick carving works have added his own understanding, such as realism, Chinese painting composition, and the use of wood carving, jade carving and other techniques, the work is both traditional and contemporary.
The brick carvings in his studio look quiet and exquisite, but in fact, the brick carvings are a laborer. Go for a walk around the factory, he must be full of dust and come back. In his factory, brick carving craftsmen often wear masks, and in the dust, they slowly carve out exquisite patterns with knives.
I started out learning wood carving
He Shiliang, who was born in Shawan, is not from a brick carving family, "because he was born in an ancient town, the environment was influenced, he was interested in ancient architecture since childhood, and liked fine arts," he said.
In 1984, when the restoration project of the Guangfu Ancestral Hall began, He Shiliang, who was in junior high school, ran to see the masters doing brick carving, wood carving and other restoration processes after school, "almost every day".
After graduating from junior high school, due to the family's financial difficulties, his father hoped that He Shiliang would do a mechanical worker, but he was unwilling, "Just looking for an apprentice in the mahogany factory, I was interested in wood carving, so I went in to learn carving." ”
Unexpectedly, after the end of the 3-month apprenticeship period, He Shiliang earned more money than his father, with a salary of two or three hundred yuan a month, "At that time, I was very proud, my father was only more than 100 yuan a month, I was three times his salary", he proved to his family with his actions that his choice was not wrong.
Half a year later, He Shiliang overheard that the factory next door was looking for someone to learn fine carving in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, and he gave up the original job, "I want to learn more carving knowledge."
With a much lower salary, He Shiliang once again became an apprentice, and his family and friends did not understand. Peers also said, "I am most afraid of being an apprentice, the salary is low and tired, you have just finished working and being, what do you want?"
What does he figure out? The picture is eye-opening, "I went to Guangzhou to find the new world of wood carving."
Steal the famous master Hu Zhi
He Shiliang, who was also an apprentice, studied under Hu Zhi, a master of Cantonese furniture wood carving craftsmanship, and studied hard for four years, systematically mastering the production and design of Cantonese furniture wood carving technology. He Shiliang said, "Hu Zhi was the chief designer of the Guangzhou Wood Carving Factory at that time, the father of the master I followed at that time, and belonged to the shigong generation. But Hu Zhi gave me the most guidance and made me unforgettable."
The Huzhi family has been born and raised in Daling Village, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, and is a family of Guangzuo wood carvings. Since the Qing Dynasty, the people of Daling Village have had a tradition of engaging in wood carving. In today's Guangzhou Haizhu Square, the White Swan Hotel and the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, you can still see Hu Zhi's works. In the 1960s, Hu Zhi also participated in the production of the screen in the Guangdong Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
At that time, He Shiliang learned to carve during the day, and secretly copied Hu Zhi's design drawings at night, sometimes learning to paint until one or two o'clock in the morning. Later, he was discovered by Hu Zhi, "I thought he would be very angry, because the drawings are the lifeblood of the designer, the most taboo people copy, the rules are not allowed." Unexpectedly, he not only did not blame me, but also felt that I was talented in painting and personally taught me to draw engraved drawings. ”
To this day, He Shiliang still remembers a sentence of his mentor Hu Zhi, "Art is to create unique works in order to become a pure craftsman, not a mechanized worker."
Halfway debut brick carving
Due to his exquisite skills, He Shiliang, who was less than 23 years old, was hired by the Lingnan Wood Carving Factory for design and management, "At that time, it was 1994 and 1995, I worked during the day, and at night I fried more to help people draw pictures, and the monthly income has been two or three thousand yuan, and people are only a few hundred yuan." ”
But He Shiliang was not satisfied with this and began to do wood carving projects on his own. Guangzhou Baomo Garden was rebuilt, and He Shiliang participated in the wood carving project. At this time, Bao Moyuan was also anxious to find a brick carving master, and after seeing the two brick carving works made by He Shi's conscience and blood, he also asked him to try, "The first to invite a few brick carvers in Zhejiang." After the start of construction, the effect is not good, reminiscent of Jiangnan Water Town. They want something more local, something with Lingnan architectural style."
Baomo Garden is located in Zixiao Village, Shawan Town, Panyu, Guangzhou, was founded in the last years of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of five acres, and its Chinese were destroyed in the early years due to the destruction of the "four olds". Baomo Garden was rebuilt in 1995 and lasted eight years, after four phases of construction, the park area was expanded to 168 mu (about 100,000 square meters), integrating Qingguan culture, Lingnan ancient architecture, Lingnan garden art, and the characteristics of the Pearl River Delta water town. As one of the decorative features of Lingnan architecture, brick carving is naturally also a major feature of Baomo Garden.
I don't want two works of interest to let the endangered Lingnan brick carving industry kill the "wizard". At that time, Baomoyuan asked He Shiliang's team to undertake the production of the giant brick sculpture shadow wall "Tuyan and Mingbi", which lasted for three years.
The completed "Tuyan and Mingbi" is 22.38 meters long, 5.83 meters high, 1.08 meters thick, and the total area of the front and back sides is 260.96 square meters, and the carving process and technique are extremely complex. The work comprehensively displays brick carving techniques such as circular carving, through carving, relief carving and extremely difficult hanging line carving, with a total of more than 600 birds, more than 100 kinds of flowers and trees, and Wang Xizhi's "Orchid Pavilion Preface" on the back of the wall. In 2002, the work won the Guinness Book of The World in Shanghai.
Biography
He Shiliang
Born in February 1970, he is the inheritor of brick carving of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects and the first traditional architectural master in Guangdong. Deeply influenced by shawan ancient architecture since childhood, after graduating from junior high school in 1986, he entered the wood carving factory as an apprentice, studied under the wood carving master Hu Zhi, learned Cantonese furniture carving and design, and mastered the basic techniques of traditional carving. Later, extensive investigation and collection of brick carving works in the Pearl River Delta, Jiangnan, north and other places were extensively investigated and studied, and the strengths of each family were integrated. Famous for the giant brick carving "Tuyan and Mingbi" of Baomoyuan Town Garden, Dongguan Yuehuiyuan brick carving "Hundred Bats HuiChun" is his mature technique, which was rated as the largest brick sculpture in China by the Guinness Headquarters of Shanghai Great World.
"Star of the New Century" Q&A on the same topic
Reporter: As a former winner, what do you think of the selection of the "New Century Star"?
He Shiliang: The selection of "New Century Star" is very good, and it is an encouragement to young people with high level, who will work harder on the basis of the original. I remember that when I won this award that year, I was very excited, more than ten years ago, I received the award with some other outstanding winners, I felt very honored, and I also met a group of excellent people and opened up my own vision.
Reporter: Do you have any words or suggestions to say to this year's winners?
He Shiliang: Getting this award is a kind of encouragement, but also a stage of praise for yourself, but you can't stay in this award, you have to work harder, most of the winners are younger, the most important thing is to work harder, don't stay in the joy of winning for a long time.
Written by: Nandu reporter Xu Xiaolei intern Ren Ziwei