Recently, a stall owner with a clay figure near the South Bridge of Dujiangyan in Chengdu has been on the hot search, and his video has attracted the attention of millions of netizens. What is amazing is that he has no hands, but he can use his arms to make all kinds of cartoon clay figures. For more than ten years, he has traveled around his hometown of Henan to set up stalls to earn money to support his family and provide for his three children to study.
On July 1, the reporter came to Dujiangyan and met Mr. Mi, the stall owner, next to the South Bridge.
Picture丨Mr. Mi pinched the panda
The tribulations of life did not make him bow his head, but he insisted on being a "craftsman" without hands
When the reporter met Mr. Mi, he hadn't started setting up a stall yet, and was sitting in the shade resting, opening a live broadcast, and interacting with netizens. Mr. Mi told reporters that when he was 20 years old, he lost his hands because he accidentally touched a high-voltage line. After the accident, Mr. Mi did not sink, but chose to be self-reliant.
Mr. Mi said that in his hometown of Shangqiu, Henan, there is a folk skill of kneading dough people, also known as clay figure dough sculptures. After losing his hands, he wanted to learn a trade, so he apprenticed to learn how to make noodles. "Start from scratch, just like when you first learned to wear socks and clothes, little by little, starting with pinching a rose, and slowly accumulating experience."
The master leads the way in, and the cultivation depends on the individual. In order to learn clay sculpture, Mr. Mi asked for advice everywhere, and he himself continued to explore the method, and finally completed it. Since 2007, Mr. Mi has left his hometown of Shangqiu and set up stalls everywhere.
Three years ago, Mr. Mi came to Dujiangyan, Chengdu, set up a stall next to the South Bridge, and sold it on the spot. The customer can give him the picture, and he will make the clay figure according to the picture given by the customer.
Attracted the attention of netizens, customers queued up to pinch clay figures
At around 4 p.m., Mr. Mi started setting up his stall. Mr. Mi skillfully moved the boxes, sorted out and placed the finished pottery products, and officially started business.
Mr. Mi is setting up a stall
It was the summer vacation, and there were many tourists near the South Bridge, and after a while, Mr. Mi's booth was full of tourists. "It takes about 8 minutes to pinch one, and you can pinch up to 30 pieces a day on a normal day, but you may pinch more when you encounter this kind of holiday." Mr. Mi said.
The reporter saw that the tools used by Mr. Mi were very simple: several pieces of colored clay of different colors, a board, and a carving knife. He first used his arms to pick out the colored clay, and then continued to knead it into various shapes to make the head and body of the clay figure. If he wanted to pinch his eyes and nose, he would cut the clay with a board, rub it with a board, and stick it to the clay figure's head. A carving knife can be used to carve out the mouth of a clay figure and some hair styles.
Picture丨Tourists queue up to pinch clay figures
In about ten minutes, the first customer-made clay figurine was pinched. "It's cute, chubby." Ms. Li, a tourist, said. Mr. Mi's clay doll has no price, and when asked by tourists, he said, "Just give a little bit and be happy." ”
Prolonged exposure to dough clay chapped hands and eczema
Mr. Mi said that the villain he kneaded on the spot was made of colored clay, because his hands had to be in contact with colored clay for a long time, he often had eczema, and his arms were often cracked. "Life won't always be so smooth, and there may always be some problems."
In July, Chengdu was already in the middle of summer, Mr. Mi pinched the villain, the sweat on his forehead kept dripping, and the shirt on his body was also a little soaked, the customer handed him a piece of paper, he wiped the sweat on his forehead, and continued to pinch.
Mr. Mi told reporters that in August this year, he would leave Dujiangyan and go to a warmer place in the south to continue setting up a stall, because the temperature in Dujiangyan in winter is low, which may cause his arm to crack.
Mr. Mi is setting up a stall
He is like a constantly migrating bird, constantly moving from place to place as the temperature changes.
"Life, take your time, I don't have high requirements, just be able to provide for the children." Mr. Mi said he has a daughter who has graduated with a master's degree and is currently looking for a job. He also has two sons, one in elementary school and one in high school. "At the moment, the children are all in their hometown, and their mother is taking him with her." When it comes to the child's Mr. Mi, there is always a happy smile on his face.
Source: Cover News