Preface
Do you remember that in the not-so-distant past, you could always see some craftsmen busy in the streets and alleys? They may be just unknown little people, but with their own hands and wisdom, they have woven a vivid and interesting history.
Nowadays, with the changes of the times and the advancement of technology, many traditional crafts are gradually disappearing, and the former masters are now hard to find. Let's walk into this once glittering world and relive those ingenious stories.
The legend of the carpenter
In ancient China, carpenters were arguably one of the most respected craftsmen. Since the invention of the epoch-making technology of "drilling wood for fire", wood has become the most indispensable material in life. Whether it was a rudimentary cave dwelling, crude farm implements, or later houses and furniture, wood played an important role.
Therefore, the carpenter who can carefully carve the wood and create practical and beautiful wood products is naturally irreplaceable. With their own hands and wisdom, they transformed this unpretentious material into various necessities of life, which not only met people's basic needs, but also pushed woodworking to a new level.
Among these carpenters, the most famous is Luban. Legend has it that Luban learned carpentry with his father since he was a child, and with his extraordinary talent and perseverance, he created many practical and exquisite wood products, such as pavilions, umbrellas, planers, etc., which were deeply loved by the people at that time.
Lu Ban's name later became synonymous with the carpenter's profession, and his story was passed down orally from generation to generation, becoming the most glorious footnote of woodcraft. To this day, Luban's name is still the most noble example and pursuit of carpenters.
However, with the development of the times, the ancient craft of carpentry has also begun to decline. The rise of machine production and the advent of industrialization have made it possible to make wood products without much manpower. Coupled with the advent of new building materials, wood is no longer as important in life as it once was.
Just when the carpenters began to face the dilemma of losing their jobs, a man wrote a new legend for this ancient craft with his own hands. He is Tan Chuanhua, a carpenter from Hunan.
Tan Chuanhua has had a strong interest in carpentry since he was a child, and despite his poor family, he has never given up the pursuit of this craft. In an accident, he lost his right hand, but instead of giving up, he continued to carve wood with his left hand with his perseverance and extraordinary talent.
After years of hard work, Tan Chuanhua finally started his own wood products company and opened more than 900 chain stores across the country. Today, although the carpenter profession is no longer as common as it once was, the craft of carpentry is still passed down and carried forward in the hands of some people.
The works carved by their hands not only embody the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also push this ancient craft to a new level and become a treasure among works of art.
The ups and downs of the stonemasons
In addition to wood, stone was one of the most common materials used in ancient architecture and carving. Since stone is much harder than wood, the requirements for stonemasons are also more demanding. A good stonemason not only needs a solid theoretical foundation, but also many years of practical experience and a unique vision to carve this hard material into an amazing work.
In ancient times, those stone carving buildings that can be called magic workmanship all embody the painstaking efforts and wisdom of countless stonemasons. From the selection of materials to the finished product, every step requires the high skill and deep understanding of the materials of the stonemasons. And this kind of understanding and skill is not achieved overnight, but requires long-term accumulation and precipitation.
It can be said that every ancient stone carving building is the crystallization of a group of stonemasons' life's work. They carve every detail bit by bit with their hands, transforming ordinary stones into immortal works of art. This dedication to craftsmanship and the pursuit of beauty are the most valuable qualities of stonemasons.
However, with the advent of modernization, machines gradually replaced human labor, and the ancient craft of stonemasonry began to decline. Since the efficiency of machine production is much higher than that of manual labor, the requirements for finesse are greatly reduced. Coupled with the advent of new building materials, stone is no longer as important in construction as it once was.
Just when the stonemasons began to face the plight of losing their jobs, a man wrote a new legend for this ancient craft with his own hands. He is Zhang Dashi, a stonemason from Shanxi.
Zhang Dashi has had a strong interest in the art of stone carving since he was a child, and despite his poor family, he has never given up the pursuit of this craft. In an accident, he lost his right hand, but instead of giving up, he continued to carve stone with his left hand with perseverance and extraordinary talent.
After years of hard work, Zhang Dashi finally became a highly regarded master stonemason. His works have not only won the praise of countless people, but more importantly, he has proved with practical actions that the stone carving craft has not been abandoned by the times, as long as someone is willing to adhere to and carry forward, it will never disappear.
The ups and downs of the baking craftsman
In ancient times, due to the backwardness of metal smelting technology, most of the pots and pans used by people were made of elemental metal. Although the metal is hard, it is also prone to deformation or breakage due to bumps. At that time, people's living conditions were not wealthy, and most families could not change them at will, so a special profession was born - baking craftsmen.
The main job of the baking master is to repair the broken pots and pans. They will use patches made of the same metal to weld the broken parts to repair them, thus extending the life of these household items. Since the cost of repairing was much lower than buying a new one, the craftsmanship of the baking master was highly regarded at the time.
In that era of scarcity of materials, the oven craftsmen used their own hands and wisdom to revive the dilapidated daily necessities, which not only saved a lot of resources, but also reflected the traditional virtues of Chinese diligence and thrift. It can be said that the baking craftsmen were among the most respected craftsmen of their time.
However, with the advent of industrialization, more durable stainless steels and alloys began to be widely used. In contrast, elemental metal products are not only expensive, but also have a relatively short service life. As a result, people began to choose to buy new stainless steel pots and pans outright instead of repairing the old ones.
In this way, the ancient craft of baking began to decline. What was once a proud skill is now a museum display. However, just when the baking craftsmen began to face the dilemma of losing their jobs, one man wrote a new legend for this ancient craft with his own hands.
He is Li Yanhua, a baking craftsman from Henan. Since he was a child, Li Yanhua learned the craft of baking with his father, and with his extraordinary talent and perseverance, he carried forward this craft. He not only repaired countless broken household items, but also pushed the craftsmanship of the baking craftsman to a new level.
Li Yanhua's works have not only won the praise of countless people, but more importantly, he has proved with practical actions that the craftsmanship of baking craftsmen has not been abandoned by the times, as long as someone is willing to adhere to and carry forward, it will never disappear. Today, although the profession is no longer as common as it once was, the craft of baking is still passed down and carried forward in the hands of some people.
The Death of the Gelding
In the past, in rural areas, due to the relatively backward mode of production, people still needed to rely on animal power to carry out some heavy physical work. Therefore, the special craft of gelding came into being. Their main job is to castrate the draft animals such as cattle, horses, and donkeys in the countryside, so as to improve the efficiency of these animals and prevent them from being affected by diseases.
It can be said that the geldings were an important part of rural production at that time. With their own hands and wisdom, they ensured the normal operation of the countryside and made important contributions to agricultural production at that time. It is thanks to the hard work of the geldings that the farmers can cultivate and harvest with peace of mind and live a relatively stable life.
However, with the advent of mechanized agriculture, people no longer need to rely on animal power for production. The craftsmanship of the geldings has lost its meaning of existence. Coupled with the increased awareness of animal protection, castration has also begun to be questioned and opposed.
In this way, the ancient craft of gelding began to decline. What was once a proud skill is now a museum display. However, just when the geldings began to face the plight of losing their jobs, a man wrote a new legend for this ancient craft with his own hands.
He is Wang Gesheng, a gelding from Shandong. Wang Geunsheng learned the gelding trade with his father from a young age, and with his extraordinary talent and perseverance, he carried forward this craft. Not only did he castrate countless livestock, but he also took the gelding's skills to a new level.
Wang gelding has not only won the praise of countless people, but more importantly, he has proved with practical actions that the gelding craft has not been abandoned by the times, as long as someone is willing to adhere to and carry forward, it will never disappear.
Today, although the profession of gelding is no longer as common as it once was, the craft of gelding is still passed down and carried forward in the hands of some people. They castrate with their hands, which not only embodies the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also pushes this ancient craft to a new level and becomes a treasure among works of art.
The Legacy of the Craftsman
In southern China, there is a unique craft - the craftsman. Their main job is to weave various daily necessities from bamboo, such as baskets, robes, hats, etc. This craft not only has a long history, but also contains the wisdom and ingenuity of the Chinese.
Compared to carpentry or stone carving, weaving may seem simple, but it also requires a high level of skill. Craftsmen need to be proficient in various weaving methods and have a good understanding of the properties of bamboo in order to weave this tough plant into a variety of exquisite objects.
In ancient times, woven products were ubiquitous, they were not only practical and durable, but also reflected the Chinese reverence for nature. Each piece of weaving embodies the craftsman's love for nature and dedication to craftsmanship. It can be said that the craftsmen were the craftsmen closest to nature at that time.
However, the good times did not last long, and with the advent of industrialization, various plastic products produced by machines began to become widely popular, and the status of woven products began to decline. Coupled with lifestyle changes, the demand for this traditional craft is gradually decreasing.
Just when the craftsmen began to face the dilemma of unemployment, a man wrote a new legend for this ancient craft with his own hands. He is Chen Minghua, a craftsman from Guangdong.
Chen Minghua learned the craft of weaving with his father since he was a child, and with his extraordinary talent and perseverance, he carried forward this craft. He not only weaved countless exquisite daily necessities, but also pushed the art of weaving to a new level, elevating it to an art form.
Chen Minghua's works have not only won praise from countless people, but more importantly, he has proved with practical actions that the art of weaving has not been abandoned by the times, as long as someone is willing to adhere to and carry forward, it will never disappear.
Nowadays, although the status of weaving products in life is no longer as important as before, the craft of weaving is still inherited and carried forward in the hands of some people. The works they weave with their hands not only embody the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also push this ancient craft to a new level and become a treasure among works of art.
epilogue
In this era of rapid development, every aspect of our lives has been changed by technology. Manual work, once regarded as a valuable skill, is now being replaced by machines.
Those craftsmen who were once proud are now slowly disappearing from our field of vision. Craftsmen use a lifetime of hard work and sweat to carry forward these crafts.
We should respect and cherish their efforts and pass on these precious cultural heritages from generation to generation. Only in this way can the splendid culture of the Chinese nation truly bloom and be inherited forever.