——Lan Liyu, the inheritor of the traditional skills of Hakka ancient wooden structure repair
Zhang Bingchun, Wang Yingwei
The passage of time may blur people's eyes, but the old ancestral hall that carries nostalgia in the hometown makes people haunt their dreams. No matter how far you go, the ancient buildings of the ancestral hall that have experienced the vicissitudes of life, like the wrinkled old mother, can always let you find the existence of home.
—Epigraph
In Huichang County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, where "the scenery is unique here", there is an old man who is old and energetic, and is known as "Master Lan Liyu" by the local folk because of his ability to "turn decay into magic". Lan Liyu's identity as a "master" is not boastful, nor is it a waste of fame, but it really comes from the word of mouth of the rural folk, and it can really be said that the reputation of the common people is better than the gold and silver cups. Although there is no certificate of merit or certificate of honor, he relies on his exquisite traditional carpentry repair skills, together with other skilled craftsmen such as masonry builders, to work together with the tacit teamwork and skills, so that some dilapidated old Hakka ancestral halls scattered in the countryside can be restored to their majestic appearance, thus winning universal praise from the surrounding neighbors.
(a)
Lan Liyu became recognized as a "master" by the people, which was by no means achieved overnight, but a long-term accumulation process.
Lan Liyu was born in June 1952 in a She peasant family in Zhonggui Village, Zhoutian Town.
After graduating from school in 1968, 16-year-old Lan Liyu studied under Wang Jianchang, a carpentry master in Xiaying Village, Zhoutian Town, according to the arrangement of his parents. However, although Master Wang Jianchang has inherited his father's good craftsmanship and has mastered traditional carpentry techniques, he is also well-known in the local area. However, because the master Wang Jianchang is only 13 years older than the little apprentice, and he is also a young man less than 30 years old, working in Zhoutian Agricultural Machinery Factory, and also went to Meizhou, Guangdong Province to learn the production process of threshing machines. Wang Junwan is famous in the local area, the masses call him "Master Junwan", kung fu business throughout the surrounding villages, he designed and made the "multi-functional wooden box" alone, and won the second prize of the national woodworking craft competition in the 60s of the 20th century. In the course of her three-year apprenticeship, Lan Liyu devoted herself to learning practical carpentry techniques such as farmhouses, furniture, ancient buildings, and wood carving. After leaving the school, Lan Liyu engaged in agricultural production while taking on work, starting from the basic business, adhering to the spirit of the master craftsman, striving for excellence in every single job, and gradually taking charge of his own side, winning the praise and praise of various owners.
In the 90s of the 20th century, it was the period of rapid economic and social development in the mainland, and Lan Liyu at this time had entered middle age, and her technology, experience and mind were becoming mature, and she finally got the opportunity to accumulate steadily.
1994 is the year of Lan Liyu's emergence, this winter, located in Zhoutian Town, Zhonggui Village, Xia River, the "Guangqian Yuhou" Rao ancient ancestral hall decided to rebuild, the Rao clan people handed over the repair of the wooden structure to the village's well-known carpenter master Lan Liyu. He learned from the Rao's Council that the "Guangqian Yuhou" Rao's ancestral hall was founded by Rao Guangbi, who was successively appointed by Wanzai, Ruijin, Taihe and the three counties of Wanzai, Ruijin, Taihe, and was well-known in southern Jiangxi and Ji'an, and had a history of more than 200 years. This is in Zhoutian Town and even Huichang County have a certain influence of the Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient buildings, is the young and middle-aged Lan Liyu deeply realized the great significance of repairing this ancient ancestral hall. To this end, he was shocked by the ingenuity of the structure and craftsmanship of the wooden structure repair work contracted by him, facing the carved beams and painted columns and the staggered arches of the ancestral hall. In Lan Liyu's view, the process of implementing the repair of famous ancient buildings is also a process of appreciation, pondering, learning and improving, so the entry point of the repair of each wooden structure must go through in-depth thinking, and the knife is carved to see the real kung fu, and the precise implementation is not allowed to be a little sloppy. The hard work paid off, and after a few months, the calluses on Lan Liyu's hands became a little thicker, and the wooden structure of the entire ancestral hall was perfectly presented to the world in a style of repairing the old as the old. Master Lan Liyu's efforts to repair the ancestral hall have since been famous in the countryside and become famous in one fell swoop. Then, in 1996, Lan Liyu was invited to repair the "Aixi Ancestral Hall" surnamed Zhu in Yunmenling Pour Water Bay, and in 1998, she was invited to repair the "Zhu Yungong Ancestral Hall" in Yunmenling Shimenlou. These are all cultural relics protection units, and Master Lan Liyu's excellent skills in repairing the wooden structure of the ancestral hall have been approved by their respective owners and widely praised by tourists who come to visit.
In the 21st century, with the development of the economy and the significant improvement of living standards, the masses have more needs and feelings for the protection, inheritance and development of traditional culture. The ancient Hakka ancestral hall carries the beliefs and spiritual sustenance of the Hakka people, and the repair of the ancient building has entered a new stage. Lan Liyu is famous for its ancient building repair technology, including Zhoutian, Menling, Zhantang, Zhongcun and other townships and towns of the ancestral hall repair, have asked Master Lan Liyu to preside.
Among them, it has a special influence is the repair of the "Zhang Xuan Ancestral Hall" surnamed Zhang in Dakeng Village, Zhoutian Town, in 2020, which is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit. Flower landscape map, lifelike, the beam above the gate rests on the top of the mountain lotus Ruyi bucket arch, is the most dazzling and most dazzling place in the appearance of this public ancestral hall, or the hidden or visible pillar top, the arch supports the bucket, the bucket holds the arch, like a brilliant lotus flower in the shadow of the huge eaves, blooms to the fullest. This ancestral hall has a history of more than 480 years, although it has been repaired many times, but due to the passage of time, the erosion of wind and rain and insect moth, so that the ancient ancestral hall always looks a little overwhelmed, and even has hidden rain leaks, part of the wooden structure is rotten, and the people of the Zhang clan invited "Master Lan Liyu" to preside over the repair of the wooden structure. Lan Liyu did not dare to slack off, carefully observed, studied and patiently constructed each component, and implemented it as a fine work of art. Sure enough, the hard work paid off, and Master Lan Liyu turned decay into magic with exquisite skills, so that the ancient ancestral hall of the Ming Dynasty, which has been included in the provincial key cultural relics protection unit, came back to life, and was fully recognized and sincerely praised by cultural relics protection experts. Since then, Lan Liyu's "master" status has been established.
(b)
In the winter of 2023, the "Aixi Ancestral Hall" surnamed Zhu, located in the backwater bay of Yunmen Ridge, will be rebuilt again after 27 years, and the people surnamed Zhu still chose "Master Lan Liyu" to preside over the repair of the wooden structure. Lan Liyu is very familiar with this ancestral hall, however, this time he further learned that this is an important red cultural relic, in June 1932 during the Central Soviet District, held here Huichang, Xunwu, Anyuan three counties of the party activists conference, formally established the Communist Party of China Huichang Central County Committee. To this end, he injected a thicker emotion, paid full attention to every detail, and handed in a satisfactory answer.
Over the years, Lan Liyu has presided over the repair of 10 ancient ancestral halls, including 4 cultural relics protection units, and also participated in the construction of 15 ancestral halls, and accepted more than 20 apprentices to teach art, of which 16 can be independently recruited. He has been engaged in the repair of ancient wooden structures for a long time, and has cultivated his gentle and elegant master character.
The Hakka ancestral hall is the culmination of the ancient architecture of Huichang. The Hakka ancestral hall is a place for Hakka family cultural inheritance, deliberation and decision-making, and sacrifice, a centralized place for Hakka rural red and white good deeds, and a nostalgia that distant travelers can't get rid of. The construction of the ancestral hall is due to its large area, good location and large investment. Therefore, as long as the foundation is still there, the basic structure is still there, no matter how good or bad the status quo is, the original building is generally repaired, and the foundation is rarely reopened. Lan Liyu said that the biggest feature and the most basic requirement for the renovation of the ancient ancestral hall is to repair the old as the old and maintain the shape, characteristics and structure of the original ancestral hall. At present, blacksmiths and stonemasons basically do not participate in the new construction and repair of ancient buildings, or they cannot find such blacksmiths and stonemasons, so the carpenters and masons who preside over the repair of ancient buildings are mainly carpenters and masons. A team of carpenters and masons worked together to bring to life the beauty of the restoration techniques steeped in the ancient buildings.
(c)
The art of repairing wooden structures in ancient buildings has a long history, and every construction, every process, and every process has regulations and customs that need to be strictly observed. Speaking of these, despite the variety of content, Lan Liyu is very patient and has a very clear idea.
He methodically introduced them one by one: the gate is the most important façade of an ancient building. Stone is the first choice in the selection of materials, and most of the large-scale ancient buildings are stone door frames. The wood is secondary, with red heart, old, no hollow fir is better, the gate specifications are generally 3.6 feet wide, 7.2 feet high or 4.5 feet wide, 8.1 feet high, 5.4 feet wide, 9 feet high, with nine stars as auspicious. There are lattice doors and wood carvings (plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum; spring peony, summer lotus, autumn chrysanthemum, winter plum; ancient costume character stories: such as eight immortals crossing the sea, etc.).
Lan Liyu went on to say, whether it is a stone door frame or a wooden door frame, the door page is a cedar wood board, four facades are straight, four pillars, and special attention should be paid to the following: Bang and wood boards must not be reversed, the tail should be upward, and the square head of the column should be left on the big hand. Some with wooden door frame, stone door top height 9 inches, width 1.05 feet, length 2.7 feet, threshold height 9 inches, wooden door frame seat on the top of the door, door brain, dragon and other materials should also be done smooth, head to the left, over the dragon at both ends to be based on the space of the door on both sides to round 2 round eyes to install the door page, the middle of the 2 rectangular square eyes, install the door hanging, the door vertical length of 1.25 feet, the large 4.5 inch knot, to draw the line, some carving, carving Qiankun and so on more beautiful.
In the traditional customs, the auspicious day of the zodiac should be chosen, and the gentleman, carpenter, and mason should each be praised. The carpenter praises from the gate: the auspicious time is good and auspicious, the door is quite, the door frame is on the status, the door is a thousand auspicious, the door side is attached to the horse, the door is out of the phoenix, the door is victorious to the door peak, there is a green mountain Qingliutang outside, a five-blessing family, Tanhua, Bangyan, champion Yuan, today after my praise, glory and wealth to the sky.
(iv)
Lan Liyu, who was not very talkative, talked about the repair of the wooden structure of the ancient building, but it was eloquent, and even had a tendency to be out of control. He introduced that windows, columns, lines, beams, carvings, plaques, etc., all have specified sources and places, and there are more accurate and detailed series of data, which are relatively professional, and it takes enough patience to understand these.
He said that stone is also the first choice for the selection of windows, followed by wood, and the wood is also red hearted, old, and non-hollow fir wood. The window specifications are: 2.25 feet wide and 2.7 feet high, which are generally placed on the front wall of the ancestral hall, and 1.8 feet wide and 1.8 feet high, which are generally placed on the inner wall of the hall for eye-rich windows. There is a lattice in the window, and there are various flowers and plants, small animal wood carvings.
The columns are divided into two categories, one is to report 4 pilasters. Among them, there are 2 middle columns, with a diameter of 24 to 26 cm at the head and 2 cm at the tail, with a length of 5-6 meters, and 2 pieces of columns, with a diameter of about 24 at the head and 2 cm at the tail, and in the same ancestral hall, the pieces are slightly smaller than the middle pillar. The second is the other columns. The size is 30 to 32 cm in diameter at the head and 2 cm smaller at the tail, and the length is 5-6 meters. The column heads of many ancestral halls will be carved with couplets, and some will use scroll couplets, both yin and yang. The tung pillar is also made of flat square material, and the two sides should be nailed to the two sides with a 3 cm thick wooden board, with a length of about 70 cm and a large size of about 20-24 cm.
The size of the ancestral hall is 16 cm wide and 18 cm high, 20 to 22 cm wide and 22 cm high in the middle, 22 to 24 cm high, with an arc in the middle, and the arc is 2 to 3 cm high. The length is determined according to the specifications and space of the auditorium, and is generally 6 to 7 meters. Below the line, both sides should draw the line.
The roof beams include the door beam, the gold beam, and the heavy beam. The diameter of the door beam of the ancestral hall is 20 centimeters wide and 22 centimeters high, with an arc in the middle, 28 centimeters wide, 30 centimeters high, and an arc of 6 to 7 centimeters, and the length is determined according to the space and specifications of the auditorium, which is generally 5 to 6 meters; the diameter of the Wanjin beam is 22 centimeters wide and 24 centimeters high, and there is an arc in the middle, 30 centimeters wide, 32 centimeters high, and the arc is 7 to 8 centimeters, and the length is determined according to the space and specifications of the auditorium, which is generally 6 to 7 meters; It is 22 cm high, with an arc in the middle, 28 cm wide and 30 cm high, with an arc of 6 to 7 cm, and the length is determined according to the space and specifications of the auditorium, generally 5 to 6 meters.
On the beam, the material is very particular, take a pile of more than three branches of wood, the date of logging to choose the auspicious day of the zodiac, the wood can not be taken off the ground, after the shade is dried, and then choose the auspicious day and auspicious time, please carpenter to make, before the start of work to wrap red envelopes to the carpenter, after the production, and then choose a good day and auspicious day on the beam. Before the upper beam, wrap the upper beam with 9 feet of new red cloth, the head and tail of the upper beam are sawed down 25-26 cm respectively and wrapped in red cloth and placed at the empty two ends of the upper beam, the left side of the upper beam is placed with a five-grain caste red cloth triangular bag, the right side of the upper beam is placed with a gold and silver red cloth triangular bag, and the two red cloth triangular bags are tied with red ropes and hung on both sides of the upper beam. When the beam is up, the proprietor wraps the red envelopes and distributes them to everyone present, and distributes candy, which is full of food and clothing. According to traditional customs, the gentlemen, carpenters, and masons on the upper beams have praised one after another. Shangliang carpenter praise: the day is auspicious and auspicious, the time on the beam is quite, the good time is good to the beam, the noble man of Lu Ma to the prescription, the beam head and the tail of the beam on the beam, the collection of blessings and the collection of Lu Qianxiang. The head of the beam rises high, and the tail of the beam rises to 10,000 loads of grain. The gold beads and jade silk are full of expensive, even the first champion of the first branch of the branch, today after I praise it, the glory and wealth are long.
The girder is composed of 2 heavy beam faces and 2 gold beam surfaces. The heavy beam is 20 to 22 cm long and 80 cm long, and the Wanjin beam is 22 to 24 cm long and 1 m long. The heavy beam surface and the Wanjin beam surface are all in a square piece, with a thickness of 7 cm and a magnanimity of 22 cm, and the length is similar to that of the heavy beam surface and the Wanjin beam surface respectively. The girder frame matches the patio, the center projection coincides, and the four waters return to the reservoir. The light projection of the ceiling frame is based on the seat (4.5 feet high), and the height of the front hall is 7-9 inches. The longevity horn is hollow in the hall, and there are two nails on the left and right.
Ancient building giraffl material, Wanjin beam, heavy body beam, etc. are more complicated, there are two methods: one is Wanjin beam, heavy body beam, with 1 big cedar tree, the tail diameter is about 28 to 30 cm, make a round Wanjin beam, called grass carp belly, carp back, the ancient saying "straight is not straight, thirty-six ink", in order to make a golden beam and heavy beam, red door beam. The second is that the ancient building is more complicated, the selection of good wood to make a 6-inch width of 1, with 2-3 pieces of height of 1.1 feet to 1.3 feet or so, made into a radian, both sides of the same with a 5 cm square plate synthesis of 1.1 feet to 1.3 feet or so, made into a radian, four sides of the good lines, nailed on both sides, this is a flat material, the two ends are 7-8 inches high, 6 inches wide, 1-1.2 feet in the middle.
Water diversion is the most important one in the derrick, the length is determined according to the ancestral hall column, about 6-6.5 meters, the requirements are straight, the tail diameter is about 22-24 cm, made into an arc, the middle should be increased by 4 cm, and a piece of thickness of 7 cm should be added above. The large 10 cm square, with bamboo nails to put it together, and then make it into a height of 26-28 cm, width of 16-18 cm, after the completion, measure the length of the patio, for example, the patio is 8.1 feet in 4.05 feet, and then the water diversion is divided into 8.1 feet, the patio is 8.1 feet, each side of each side adds 1 foot in a 6×7 cm square eye, install the column well, the water plate, the column well is lengthened by 5 inches, the water diversion is also lengthened by 5 inches, and the outside is nailed with an 8 ×6 cm square, hit 3 eyes, and the whole square bar should be grooved, hit at the head of the water outlet. After nailing the tile angle, saw the tile mouth, from the water diversion volt, the ink in the column well is measured out about 1 foot, the eaves can drip to the middle of the patio ditch, after the tile mouth is sawed, the tile angle of about 70 cm long should be nailed on it, called the water angle. Groove ditch, the bottom of the ditch is generally a fir tree about 6 meters long, sawn into a square board 10×3 cm, both sides of the ditch to cover the slope before the ditch tile is placed. The groove whiskers are also nailed to the bottom of the ditch on both sides.
The angle of the trench should be very accurate, the angle of the 2nd to 3rd row of tiles under the water crossing building and the lower hall building, the angle between the groove and the water crossing building is 45 degrees, and the drop is 4.5 points of water. Carpentry in a general auditorium is based on the above ten main processes. The tile row is divided into left and right water surfaces, and the diameter of the specification and the tail diameter are about 12 cm. The hall corridor outside the gate, some decorate the semi-circular roll shed, some decorate the rectangular roll shed; the lower hall engages in the gossip house fight, and the gossip house fight is determined according to the size of the hall. The corridor of the upper hall is decorated with a semi-circular house bucket. Roll shed, generally in front of the door above the top, most of the front of the door is a semi-circular roll shed, the camber is determined according to the width of the roll height, can not affect the nail tile angle. In the middle of the lower hall, some will be decorated with gossip house buckets, some will be decorated with rectangular flat house buckets, the height of the four sides of the roll shed is generally 60-70 cm, the curved root is 4×5 cm, the following is round, each space is about 20-22 cm, the proportion of gossip is about 2/5, the upper hall roll shed is generally in the upper hall Tiankan Shangsikou, most of the semicircular vaults, there are also rectangular flat top four sides of the roll shed root, nailed on 1 cm small slats. The ditch must be used for the patio groove, which is generally 24 cm wide and 32 cm long.
A magpie bucket is a component of the pavilion and corridor outside the gate, which is generally in the shape of the sedan top, and is mainly attached layer by layer according to the original state of the ancient building. The carving is used in the four corners of the car of A Quedou, which is 8 cm wide and 30 cm long.
The size of the plaque is 72 centimeters wide, 1.96 meters long, the inscription is usually named after the ancestor of Kaiji, and the plaque is carved around the grass of 10,000 characters, and the nine stars are auspicious. The door plaque is wide and long, and the plaque is equivalent to the plaque, and the inscription of the plaque is named "** Ancestral Hall" in the name of Kaiji Zuhong. The specifications of the Shenzu brand are 9 inches wide and 1.8 feet high, some are double dragons and double phoenixes, and some are dragons and phoenixes.
(5)
The water is a very serious and important folk activity after the completion of the main structure of the ancestral hall, and the owner invites Mr., carpenters, and masons to go down to the gate of heaven and praise them successively. Huichang Nanpian Township in the upper hall patio set up a high table, toast the ceremony, by the owner of the incense, and by the owner to catch the chicken to Mr., the master, and present a red envelope, the size of the red envelope is currently about 160 yuan, successively by the gentleman, carpenter, mason praise, after the end by the mason master slaughter, and then the animal body is thrown out of the roof of the vestibule. Praise of the carpenter of the lower heavenly gate: On the occasion of today's good day, the Xiandong Building is built, the new atmosphere on the building, the Fulu birthday star is under the heavenly gate, the auspicious star shines on the rich and noble, the five blessings come to the people and wealth, the water flow gold steps, the dots are the articles, the water flows under the gold steps, the wealth is in your home, the old man adds blessing longevity, the young one is famous, after the Luban disciples praise it, the glory and wealth are long in the sky.
After the praise, the owner prepares a rice plate, to make 3 red envelopes, and send them to Mr., carpenter, and mason, as rice seat money, the size of the red envelope is generally about 220 yuan. After the praise is over, the owner gives red envelopes to everyone present to try auspiciousness. The size of the red envelope is generally 60-80 yuan, and the red envelope of Mr. will be a little higher, followed by carpenters and masons, and the rest of the people.
In the evening, there will be a water seat, and the seating arrangement is very particular, with the carpenter chief, the mason two seats, and the gentleman three seats. After the water mat is over, the proprietor will give a chicken money to the gentleman, the carpenter, and the mason. At the time of checkout, the proprietor generally pays the carpenter and mason "Peng" salary (fictitious salary), and the daily wage of opening piles and feet, starting doors, putting derders, and water outlets must be counted as "Peng" wages.