On May 1, the reporter came to the studio of Wang Xiaoling, a non-hereditary heir of leather in Songpan County, and the air was filled with a faint smell of leather. At a glance, rolls of cowhide and sheepskin are neatly arranged under the table in the studio, and the wooden shelves next to them display completed works of different sizes and styles, while the protagonist is busy carving leather goods.
Wang Xiaoling, 34 years old this year, is the fifth generation of Songpan Wang cobblers and the only female inheritor. The intangible cultural heritage skills she inherited are the Aba State Intangible Cultural Heritage Project - "Songpan Wang Ji Leather".
According to reports, "Songpan Wangji Leather" is a representative of the production of ancient Songpan meadow leather goods, and its history can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. Mainly using natural pigments, after more than 60 pure handmade techniques such as smoking, coloring and kneading, the mule skin will show a perfect pattern and color, which is very exquisite. Its main products are traditional harness, Tibetan quma belt, modern leather boots, shoes, leather decorative paintings and other handicrafts.
However, the craft was also in danger of being lost. Around 2010, as the older generation of craftsmen got older and retired, only Wang Xiaoling's father was still insisting on this craft.
At that time, Wang Xiaoling, who had just graduated from college, passed the public recruitment examination and became a teacher in a primary school in Hongyuan County, but in her heart, she always hid an ideal to carry forward leather skills, and every holiday, she would study, grope and learn the knowledge of leather handicraft.
"In order to inherit this leather handicraft and to fulfill my ideals since childhood, I quit my job in 2013 and returned to my hometown." Wang Xiaoling said that after returning home, she dragged her luggage to the Guangdong system to learn modern leather making technology.
After returning to Songpan after more than 3 months of study, she borrowed more than 500,000 yuan from her relatives and friends and set up a studio in September of the same year.
Nowadays, Wang Xiaoling's favorite thing is to repeat the moment of slowly running the needle and thread through the skin every day, and his heart is very quiet and satisfied. Wang Xiaoling said, "The production of leather goods requires not being impatient, especially a simple piece of leather, after careful production and polishing, it presents a variety of new tricks, so that you have a sense of achievement." Her studio has also won the honorary titles of "Giant Panda Gold Award Advanced Collective" in Aba Prefecture and "Leather Traditional Production Technique Transmission Base" in Songpan County.
Standing at the crossroads of life, we are often uncertain and hesitant. I feel that I have a dream, I am unwilling to give up, I want both fish and bear paws. At this time, we suddenly realized that there is no sacrifice for what we have gained, and what we give up today may be repaid to you twice tomorrow. "Wang Xiaoling said that she often inspires and enlightens herself in this way, and every time she sits down to do handicrafts, she is particularly calm inside, and slowly calming her mind has become a habit." The "post-80s" Cobbler wants to quietly and try his best to create leather goods with temperature, and realize his dreams for the sake of his hometown feelings.
Unit in charge: Propaganda Department of Songpan County CPC Committee
Organizer: Songpan County Rong Media Center
Editor-in-Chief: Yang Wenbin
Editor-in-Charge: Gu Yunhua
Editor: Rong Zhongna
Source: Chuanguan News Songpan County Rong Media Center