[Explanation] The peony that is as beautiful as haze; the charming rose; the autumn chrysanthemum of Ao Shuang Doufang... These colorful and controversial flowers are not flowers, but silk flowers made by the non-genetic inheritor Xu Wenjing.
Recently, the reporter came to Xu Wenjing's home and saw that she was doing styling for the "rose". She told reporters that the process of making silk flowers is cumbersome. The main raw material is silk. It has to go through the processes of sizing, chiseling, dyeing, nesting, sticking, saving, and packaging. Each step is handmade, and the nests are the most challenging. Work hard.
[Concurrent] Xu Wenjing, non-genetic inheritor of Beijing silk flower
These are the tools for nesting petals. Put the dyed petals in your hand. The core petals of the real flower are small, round and pointed buds. The head and square head, all dozens of petals must be held by hand.
[Explanation] Xu Wenjing said that if you want to make fake "flowers", you must observe all kinds of flowers on weekdays. As long as she has time, she will go to the park to enjoy flowers with her friends, buy flowers at the morning market, observe the posture of the flowers, and strive to make silk flower artwork exactly like the flowers.
[Concurrent] Xu Wenjing, non-genetic inheritor of Beijing silk flower
Fragrant Mountain Botanical Garden, Tiantan Rose Garden, Beihai Chrysanthemum, these are all we must go to every year. Other people look at the flowers and think this flower is pretty, red and pink. We look at the flower depending on how it grows? What kind of stamens, pistils, how many core petals are, one by one, and each petal should be noted down.
[Explanation] According to reports, silk flowers, also known as Jinghua and Palace Flowers, have a history of thousands of years. The "Picture of Hairpin Ladies" by Tang Dynasty painter Zhou Fang reproduced the scene of women wearing hairpins in the palace. Since the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, handmade silk flowers have been popular in the harem and the residences of dignitaries, and Beijing has become the center of the country for making silk flowers.
[Concurrent] Xu Wenjing, non-genetic inheritor of Beijing silk flower
(Back then) The national distribution center for artificial flowers was on Huashi Street outside Chongwenmen. Those hundreds of shops were all selling flowers. At that time, people were actually very particular about wearing flowers. During the Chinese New Year, Tianjin’s people wear red shoes and red flowers, including People in Beijing also wear flowers on their heads, and they wear jasmine on their chests in summer.
[Commentary] Xu Wenjing told reporters that not only Chinese people like silk flowers, but foreigners also like them. For many years, she has been committed to using traditional silk flower craftsmanship combined with modern flower arrangement to design floral works. She has won many national awards. At the same time, she has also brought her works to Finland, Germany, France, Russia and other countries to participate in the exhibition, which is well received.
[Concurrent] Xu Wenjing, non-genetic inheritor of Beijing silk flower
This work is mainly mountain flowers and weeds, which are especially popular in Northern Europe. They have a lot of wild flowers in summer, but they disappear in winter. This kind of our Beijing silk flower mountain flowers and weeds are placed in the house as decoration. This is the lily of the valley, the national flower of many European countries, this is lavender, this is verbena, this is rose, and this is small wild flowers. They think that we are the country of silk. They don't find silk to be particularly fresh, but if silk is made of fake flowers, they think it is too vivid and unbelievable.
[Explanation] Xu Wenjing, 70, has been making silk flowers for 47 years. She said that the inheritance of silk flower skills depends on the younger generation. In recent years, she has started to teach and bring silk flowers to campus, hoping to let more young people understand and love silk flowers.
Liu Xuanting reports from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Wang Kai]