Zhang Bingchun, Wang Yingwei
The passage of time may blur people's eyes, but the old Hakka ancestral hall that carries nostalgia in their hometown is haunting people's 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 a recognized "master" among 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, he works in Zhoutian Agricultural Machinery Factory, and also went to Meizhou, Guangdong Province to learn threshing machine production skills, and during this time he is the technical person in charge of Zhoutian Leigongba Reservoir, and there is still a lot of finishing work to do, and it just so happens that Wang Junwan returned to Xiaying Village from Zhoutian Agricultural Machinery Factory, so Lan Liyu spent more time learning a full set of woodworking skills with Wang Junwan, the father of Wang Jianchang. 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, on the edge of the Xia River, the "Guangqian Yuhou" Rao's ancient ancestral hall decided to rebuild, and the Rao clan handed over the repair of the wooden structure to Lan Liyu, a well-known carpenter master in Zhonggui Village. 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, Master Lan Liyu with exquisite skills, turning decay into magic, so that this has been included in the provincial key cultural relics protection unit of the Ming Dynasty ancient ancestral hall to revive, ingenious workmanship, has been fully recognized by cultural relics protection experts, praise this rural ancient ancestral hall repair as old repair style, can be used as a demonstration point for repairing cultural relics. 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 the "Master Lan Liyu" who is already in the old age 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 wide 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. Carpenters and masons form a tacit team, both division of labor and cooperation, working together to present the beauty of the repair skills immersed 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. 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. Due to the limitation of space, the focus is on the three key procedures that must be praised according to traditional customs, such as the gate, the upper beam, and the underwater heavenly gate.
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 are square, and special attention should be paid to the following: the brick and the wooden board 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. Praise of the carpenter from the gate: The day is auspicious, and the time is good, and the time of the door is quite. The door frame is on the position, the door is a thousand auspicious, the door is honored with the horse, and the door is out of the phoenix. The door to the door peak is victorious, and there is a green mountain and a green stream hall outside. In one of the five Fu Ke subjects, the top of the list of flowers. After I praise today, glory and wealth and longevity.
Lan Liyu said that the upper beam is very particular about the material, 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 fall to the ground after the wood is removed, after the shade is dry, and then choose the auspicious day and auspicious time, please carpenter to make, before starting work to wrap a red envelope 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, the time is good, the beam is quite, the good time is good, the beam is good, and the nobles of Luma are here. On the beam head beam tail seat beam, set blessing and collect thousands of auspicious. 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, and even the first champion of the branch. After I praise today, glory and wealth and longevity.
Finally, the master Lan Liyu said that the water is a very serious and important folk activity after the completion of the main structure of the ancestral hall. 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. Xiatianmen carpenter's praise: On the occasion of today's good day, Xiandong Building is built. The new atmosphere on the building, the birthday star of Fu Lu goes down to the gate of heaven. The auspicious stars shine on the wealthy, and the five blessings come to the people and the wealth. On the golden steps of the water flow, the dots are articles, and under the golden steps of the water flow, the wealth is in the owner. The old man is blessed with longevity, and the young man is famous. After the disciples of Luban congratulated, they were prosperous, rich and long.
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.
The reputation of Changxin is fine, and the sword is not old and heroic. During the writing of this article, Lan Liyu, a master who is already in his 72nd year, has newly received the repair business of an ancestral hall surnamed Li in Baibu Village, Yunmenling Town, and is leading his team to be happily busy with ink line axes, rulers, knives and saws......