On New Year's Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a 2022 New Year message, xinhua. On President Xi Jinping's bookshelf, the mascots of the Beijing Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympic Games, "Ice Pier" and "Snow Rongrong", are particularly eye-catching.
This pair of ceramic versions of "ice pier" and "snow rongrong" are from the "world ceramic capital" - Fujian Dehua. Many people don't know that "ice pier" and "snow melting" in addition to the silicone fluff version, there are ceramic versions!
The ceramic version of the "ice pier" and "snow rongrong" are delicate and smooth, and the colors are bright, and their production benefits from the Dehua porcelain firing technology that has been inherited for thousands of years.
On the evening of the 16th, the Morning News reporter interviewed Zheng Pengfei, the only authorized manufacturer of the ceramic version of "ice pier" and "snow rongrong", the general manager of a ceramic manufacturing enterprise in Dehua, and asked him to reveal the story behind the ceramic version of "ice pier" and "snow rongrong".
Manufacturer employees also did not achieve "ice pier" freedom
In the more than 30 years since the company was founded, Zheng Pengfei has never seen such a heat as "ice pier".
"Since the sixth day of the Chinese New Year, we have gathered workers in Dehua for the New Year to come back and start work, and now we are working overtime to produce, but the supply is still in short supply." Zheng Pengfei told reporters that the ceramic version of the "ice pier" and "snow rongrong" are now also "difficult to find a pier".
"I have a pair of samples on the shelves in my office. The vast majority of employees in our company do not yet have 'ice piers' and 'snow melting', everyone says, first do what you want outside. Zheng Pengfei said.
Although employees are busy working overtime, Zheng Pengfei found that the atmosphere in the factory is particularly good, "You can feel the pride of the employees: the 'ice piers' involved in the production are so popular, and you feel that you have also made a contribution to the Winter Olympics." The intensity of work is different from usual. ”
The enterprise that Zheng Pengfei is responsible for is the only authorized manufacturer of the ceramic version of "ice pier" and "snow rongrong". According to Zheng Pengfei, the company's production of "ice piers" and "snow Rongrong" has a total of 3 sizes, "one is a 20-centimeter piggy bank; there are two kinds of ornaments, one is 15 centimeters, the pair on President Xi's bookshelf is this size, and the other is 8 centimeters, suitable for place on the desk." ”
These three sizes of "ice piers" and "snow melting" are arranged in order of size, and the prices are: 138 yuan / piece, 99 yuan / piece and 68 yuan / piece, "but if you buy it, you generally buy a pair." ”
A design team of 100 people designed ceramic samples
Zheng Pengfei is also responsible for the company is also a product supplier of well-known cultural brands such as Universal Studios and Disney, and has also undertaken the production of ceramic versions of the mascots of the Tokyo Olympic Games, and it can be said that he has a very rich experience in the design and production of ceramic mascots and dolls.
However, when the sample of the "ice pier" was obtained in 2019, the company still took a lot of effort to finalize the design draft of the ceramic version of the "ice pier".
Zheng Pengfei's company is the only authorized manufacturer of ceramic version of "ice pier" and "snow rongrong"
"Our company's design team has about 100 people, and after getting the sample of the mascot of the Beijing Winter Olympics, it can be said that almost every designer is involved in it and contributes ideas." The image is there, but how to make the ceramic version of the product 100% loyal to this image, you need to consider the characteristics of the ceramic and the production technology, and redesign. ”
According to Zheng Pengfei, in order to ensure that the quality and appearance can meet the original design, the proofing alone will go back and forth dozens of times.
"There are many uncertainties in the molding stage of ceramic products, such as the large upper body and small lower body of the ice pier, and when firing at a high temperature of 1080 degrees Celsius, it must be ensured that the design is in place, otherwise it is easy to cause the shape to collapse."
In the end, after several months of design polishing, repeated communication and testing, the sample passed the review of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee and was able to enter the standardized production, "whether it is modeling, color, flower paper, or even packaging, every link, we have repeatedly confirmed to ensure that it meets the production standards and requirements of the Winter Olympic mascot." Zheng Pengfei said.
Each piece is handcrafted
After several months of careful design and construction, the ceramic version of "ice pier" and "snow melting" that finally came out was delicate and smooth, bright in color and cute.
In Zheng Pengfei's view, each product is handmade, and it is also one of the biggest highlights of the ceramic version of "ice pier" and "snow rongrong".
According to Zheng Pengfei, the production of ceramic versions of "ice piers" and "snow rongrong" benefits from the dehua porcelain firing technology that has been inherited for thousands of years, and needs to go through dozens of processes such as mold making, grouting, washing blanks, kilns, coloring, painting, and decals.
"Like an appliqué, the worker dips his fingers in warm water and sticks the flower paper on it one by one. Many processes also have to be handled by experienced masters themselves, like the panda face frame of the ice pier is an irregular five-ring line, and the line shape is difficult to pull the blank, and the technology must be in place. ”
According to reports, it takes about a month to complete all the processes and make an "ice pier" or "snow melting".
Zheng Pengfei sighed that the ceramic version of "Ice Pier" and "Snow Rongrong" that was finally released not only demonstrated the strength of "Made in China", but also contained the exquisite skills of ceramic craftsmen.
Dehua is now in the "dungeoning tour" boom
Zheng Pengfei told reporters that the ceramic version of the "ice pier" and "snow rongrong" are made by Dehua, which makes the locals also feel proud, "Here, the ceramic version of the 'ice pier' is more famous than the silicone fluffy version of the 'ice pier'. ”
Dehua County, located in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, is a famous ceramic production area in the mainland, with a long history of ceramic production. In 2015, Dehua was awarded the title of the only "Ceramic Capital of the World" by the United Nations World Handicraft Council.
Dehua ceramics are known for their "white". Compared with the white glaze of Jingdezhen ceramics, Dehua white porcelain strives for a perfect white jade texture, the glaze color is bright and bright, white as gelatin, the world calls it "lard white" and "ivory white", and Europeans directly call it "Chinese white".
"However, the 'ice pier' uses environmentally friendly degradable porcelain clay, and its white is not 'Chinese white'. This time, the national ceremony of the Winter Olympics, Wenjun Bottle, showed 'Chinese white'. ”
According to Zheng Pengfei, in addition to the "ice pier" and "snow rongrong", his company is also responsible for the production of the national ceremony of the Winter Olympics - Wenjun bottle. "The Wenjun bottle is designed by Mr. Bai Ming, a professor at Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts, and the whole body of the White Wenjun Bottle shows the 'Chinese white' that is crystal clear and white as gelatin."
The company not only undertook the production of the ceramic version of the Winter Olympic mascot, but also responsible for creating the national ceremony of the Winter Olympics, Zheng Pengfei felt sincerely proud, "80% of our company's products are exported to the European and American markets, this time the ice pier is on fire, I also received a lot of congratulations from overseas partners, they also praised the ice pier is cute." ”
Not only that, the ceramic version of the "ice pier" and "snow rongrong" are hot, and also promote a new round of "pier hunting trip" wave, driving the tourism industry in Dehua. "Now, many schools, self-driving tours and tour groups have come here to experience the ceramic culture of the 'World Ceramic Capital'." According to reports, the first batch of ceramic tourism factories in Dehua have now become the research base of Fujian Province.
Zheng Pengfei said that ceramics in English for "CHINA", ceramic culture is the symbol of China, when ceramic elements are integrated into the Beijing Winter Olympics, Winter Paralympic Games mascots, and even the production of national ceremonies, "can let more people understand China, understand the ancient art of ceramics production." ”