Wen 〡崔建
Source: Pin Reading, No. 2, 2022
In an inconspicuous corner of the morning market, Lao Cheng guarded his stall, selling a few ordinary seasonal vegetables.
Lao Cheng's vegetables are not obtained from the wholesale market, but all produced in the family's small vegetable garden. Pure natural green products, uneven size, color is not eye-catching, so random piled up, in the surrounding those bright-looking vegetables compared, it looks a little rustic.
Unlike many stall owners who shouted loudly in their throats, Lao Cheng just sat silently on the pony, with a look of peace on his face.
Occasionally, someone squatted down in front of the vegetable stall, picking and choosing, complaining about the poor appearance of Lao Cheng's dishes, and bargaining for him to be a little cheaper.
At this time, Lao Cheng looked unhappy and muttered, "My vegetables are all grown by myself, the yield is low, the cost is high, and I can't let go of a penny anymore." The tone clearly means "my dishes are only sold to those who have visions", as if the price of the dish is related to its own reputation and cannot be changed arbitrarily.
Lao Cheng's stubbornness actually has a certain truth. Because customers who know the goods will deliberately choose dishes in front of his stall, and most of them are repeat customers, or customers recommended by friends.
To the grocers, Lao Cheng sometimes narcissistically flaunts a sentence: "In the taste of this dish, there is my craft of growing vegetables." "And how exactly does the art of growing vegetables hide in the taste of vegetables?" He didn't explain much, leaving it for the grocers to take home and savor slowly.
For Lao Cheng, selling vegetables to make money does not seem to matter, what is important is to win people's respect for their own vegetable growing skills. The vegetables he grew by hand did not look bright, but they had unique qualities.
The reason why people are rarely appreciated is that people have been wrapped in over-packaged glitz, and it is rare to lean down to look carefully and see those simple and clumsy beauty, as well as the truth with connotations.
Lao Cheng once said an intriguing sentence: "The vegetables I grow also have faces." ”
The face hidden in the craft is his affirmation of his own way of life. Not humble, such as the wind on the water, a school of nature, the human fireworks are permeated with poetry.
I also know an 80-year-old carpenter with a very strong body, who likes to make the applicable wood by himself. For example, to make an old style ordinary chair, he will be like completing a major project, carefully selecting wood, looking, measuring, pushing, planing, chiseling, grinding... Every process is meticulous.
His grandson once had disdain: "It's just an ordinary handmade wooden, almost enough, who cares about your outdated craftsmanship today?" ”
The old carpenter immediately corrected: "I care about myself, the craftsmanship in each object I make represents my face, and what does not pay attention to the face is not real craftsmanship." ”
Sun Tzu was surprised: "Is there still a face in the craft?" ”
The old carpenter could not be doubted: "Of course there is. Your eyes, your sweat, your spirit, are all hidden in your craft, that is the face of a craftsman. ”
"Your face is hidden in your craft" – this is the most apt interpretation of craft I have ever heard. A simple confession, which integrates cherishing and respecting into ordinary labor, suddenly has an admirable dignity.
That day, I watched a documentary "Exquisite" on the Internet, and I accidentally learned that each exquisite handicraft had a well-made behind-the-scenes story, and suddenly realized that the face in the craft was actually the "spirit" and "soul" in the craft.
In those exquisite craftsmanship, the feelings of the years are condensed, and the noble quality of time polishing is highlighted.
Editor-in-charge: Zhang Chu | Proofreader: Qin Daixin