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From ancient times to the present, there have been one or several industries called "iron rice bowls" in every period.
These industries are not what we call civil servants or public institutions, but some industries that can achieve sufficient food and clothing for their families by virtue of technology and technology.
Among the many industries, there are 5 "old trades", which were popular before, but with the progress of science and technology and the development of society.
These five industries have been greatly impacted, not only have the benefits not been as good as before, but have even gradually withdrawn from people's vision. His craft will also be on the verge of being lost.
Today, let's take a look at these 5 old trades that were once very popular, but now no one cares.
01 Sharpener
"Sharpen scissors, kitchen knives." Once upon a time, whether in the village or in the city, every time I heard this loud shout, I would think of a man walking through the streets with a bench on his back and a bulging pocket. This is the sharpener.
They are authentic craftsmen, and they carry whetstones of different sizes in their pockets.
They use their skills to sharpen knives for those in need, so that those knives are sharp again and easy for people to use.
Whether it is a blunt kitchen knife, scissors, watermelon knife, or a wood knife or dagger, as long as they polish it, it will be as good as new, and even sharper than the new one.
At that time, most people's economic level was not considered wealthy, and a good knife at that time was expensive.
Therefore, in the impression of the older generation, these knives are only used for a long time and are not so sharp, as long as they are sharpened by a sharpener, they are still very useful.
After all, it is much cheaper to find a sharpener to polish than to buy a new one of the same kind.
So the sharpeners are not short of business, although the fees charged each time are not very much, but every day walking the streets and alleys, you can still rely on your own efforts, make some money. Raising a family is not a problem.
However, with the progress of science and technology and the development of society, not only the price of knives is no longer so expensive, but also many portable sharpening tools have also been developed.
Some families can even use their own sharpening tools to sharpen their own knives. Even if you don't know how to sharpen, you won't have much financial burden if you change to an ordinary knife.
As a result, the "market" of sharpeners suffered an unprecedented blow. Most people don't need the help of sharpeners anymore.
The sharpener profession has also gone from a state where there was never a shortage of business to no one cares about it.
Nowadays, except for some special knives, which also need to be polished by hand by the skills of sharpeners, other businesses are almost pitiful.
As a result, they had to give up their original industry and seek another job, and the industry gradually faded out of people's field of vision.
02 Tinkman
In the 60s of the 20th century, tinkering was a very hot industry.
As the name suggests, the main job of a tinkerer is to repair pots and pans for others with his exquisite craftsmanship.
At that time, the pots and pans used by people were mainly made of iron, and whether it was stewing, stir-frying, cooking, or steaming dumplings, they all relied on this large iron pot.
Especially in the eyes of farmers, a large iron pot is one of the most important necessities in life.
However, iron pots are expensive and can break down with more use. At this time, it will be our turn to tinker.
They will use their superb craftsmanship to repair the broken iron pot to perfect condition.
And the repaired iron pot is very strong and durable, and there is no need to worry about the same part, which is the achievement of the reputation of the iron pot craftsmen, and their craftsmanship is more precious.
However, with the development of science and technology, the material of pots and pans has also undergone earth-shaking changes, not only the types of pots and pans have become more diverse, but also the price is very cheap.
This also makes the craftsmanship of the tinker no longer useful.
The craft that once could support the whole family by one person was eventually eliminated by the advancement of science and technology.
03 Dyeer
A dyer, as the name suggests, is a craftsman who specializes in dyeing cloth. In the era when science and technology were not yet developed, people wanted to wear brightly colored clothes, and they had to rely on dyers to dye them by hand.
They dye the cloth with natural dyes through exquisite craftsmanship. Not only is the color bright, but it also does not have any pungent odor and does not cause any damage to human skin.
A fine colored cloth can even be sold for a sky-high price.
However, with the development of technology, cloth dyeing became easier and easier, and dyers lost their "market". Nowadays, except for some "masters", it is difficult to see hand-dyed cloth craftsmen.
04 Kyoro
Danmian Lang has a history of hundreds of years in the mainland, and has been an indispensable existence in people's social life since hundreds of years ago.
As the name suggests, their main job is to help those in need and play cotton well.
Quilts and cotton clothes are all necessities in people's lives. However, with the increase in the number of uses, or improper storage.
The original soft and warm cotton clothes and quilts will also become thicker, and the warmth will be much worse. At this time, you need to ask the cotton Lang to re-"process" the cotton inside.
Whether it is a quilt that has been processed, a cotton garment, or cotton that has not been sewn, it was expensive before.
In particular, better cotton is even more difficult to buy. Therefore, many people will cherish their cotton products very much.
A brand new quilt, or even the most important gift for marriage, can last for many years. And in some families, even several people share a quilt.
But with the continuous progress of science and technology, this work of Dan Mianlang can also be completely replaced by machinery, and the efficiency is higher.
At the same time, the price of quilts has also changed a lot, and it is no longer a "luxury". Because of this, Dan Mianlang withdrew from the stage of history.
05 Pen repairer
The profession of pen repairer is more elegant and delicate than traditional crafts such as blacksmith and cotton man. Despite this, their livelihood is also dependent on their craft, although the items they repair are more elaborate – pens.
In the past, fountain pens were a "rarity", not only expensive, but also a status symbol. Having a fine fountain pen is not only a reflection of the owner's taste, but also a statement of his social status. Therefore, those masters who can delicately repair fountain pens are often also respected and relied on. A pen repairer requires not only skill, but also patience and care. The internal structure and material of each fountain pen may be different, and the master needs to develop a repair plan according to the specific situation. It's not just a simple tinkering, it's an artistic creation.
However, with the change of the times and the development of technology, fountain pens have gradually been replaced by ballpoint pens, rollerballs and various electronic writing instruments. The popularity of fountain pens has decreased considerably, and the need to repair fountain pens has also decreased. Nowadays, with the exception of expensive brand-name pens or pens with special commemorative significance, few people are willing to pay as much or more than the price of a fountain pen to have it repaired by a professional pen repairer. This has caused a huge impact on the pen repair industry.
Although the profession of fountain pen repairer has not completely disappeared, practitioners are rare. Many young people are no longer willing to learn the trade, believing it to be a time-consuming, laborious and unpromising profession. What was once a fountain pen repairman has almost disappeared from the market. Worse still, this delicate craft is in danger of being lost.
Among those who still stick to this profession, they are not only doing it for a living, but also for passing on the craft. Pen repair is not only a profession, but also a cultural inheritance. Behind every repaired fountain pen is the memory and emotion of the user. These pen repairers use their skills to bring pen pens with history and stories back to life.
In some big cities, you can still find a handful of pen repairers, most of whom are very old. Whenever someone comes in and asks them to repair a fountain pen, they always listen very carefully to the customer's needs and carefully inspect every part of the pen. They know that for many customers, a fountain pen is more than just a writing instrument, it's a memory of years. Through their skillful hands, these pens are rejuvenated and continue to accompany their owners in writing new stories.
At the same time, there are also some young people who love fountain pen culture who have begun to pay attention to and learn this skill. Through the internet and social media, they sought advice from experienced masters in the hope of passing on this endangered skill. Although the number is small, their enthusiasm and hard work have undoubtedly brought a new glimmer of hope to the pen repair industry.
In general, although the profession of pen repairer seems a little lonely in modern society, the cultural value and emotional significance it carries are irreplaceable. I hope that in the future, more people can pay attention to and cherish this traditional skill, so that it will continue to shine in modern society. As those who still stick to this line of work expect, this delicate craft will not be forgotten in the long river of history, but can be passed down from generation to generation, becoming a link between the past and the future.
Summary:
The above five industries were all once all the most popular industries, and their incomes were also quite considerable.
But with the advancement of technology, their work has also been completely overtaken by machinery, or eliminated by the market. These once incomparable skills could become history at any time.
Bibliography:
Sharpen scissors and kitchen knives for the new head teacher. 2019(03)
Tinker New Reading and Writing. 2022(09)