[Explanation] 57-year-old Xi'an curium porcelain craftsman Chai Guining recently showed a video of repairing light bulbs with traditional curium porcelain craftsmanship on social platforms, and the number of views quickly exceeded one million.
In Chai Guining's studio, restored vases, teapots, tea bowls and other objects were filled. Accompanying these restorations day and night are tools such as drills, hammers, and lathes of various sizes and shapes. There are thousands of them, like a small tool museum.
The glass of the bulb is thin and brittle, it will burst if you are not careful. In front of the workbench, Chai Guining put on magnifying glasses, held a drill bit, and carefully punched holes on both sides of the crack in the bulb. Then, holding a spray gun, scissors and other tools, he made several nails as thin as a hair. After lightly tapping, the nails are inserted into the holes, and the broken bulb is ready for a "surgical operation" and "walks" back to work.
[Concurrent] Chai Guining, craftsman of Xi'an curium porcelain
We have two "attempts" to replenish light bulbs. One is to get more people to have some interest in our craft, and the other is to have the suspicion of showing off skills. It's fun, everyone thinks.
[Explanation] Chai Guining told reporters that since he was a child, he likes to repair things by hand. For repairing objects, Chai Guining believes that techniques are important, but more importantly, understanding the stories and emotions between objects and their owners, and respecting the traces left by time. This requires the restorer to understand the knowledge of psychology, mechanics, chemistry, art, etc.
[Concurrent] Chai Guining, craftsman of Xi'an curium porcelain
If you understand these objects, then you can use various manual techniques and processes to repair this thing more appropriately, but it will not be so obtrusive, and it will be able to "repair the old as it is", and it will not Something is repaired into another thing. Let others see this repaired thing, and they will feel that this thing should be like this. This is the best repair process.
[Explanation] As she grows older, Chai Guining's energy is not as good as before. Over the years, Chai Guining has organized training courses to teach curium ceramic techniques. The tuition fee of more than 10,000 yuan is a bit expensive, but it is a "lifelong system." Students can come whenever they want to learn. This relaxed atmosphere, which is different from the traditional teacher-student relationship, has made many students become friends with him.
[Concurrent] Chai Guining, craftsman of Xi'an curium porcelain
In the process of teaching techniques, as much as possible for everyone to do some natural sciences, including the principles of physics, chemistry, and mechanics. Because the repair process is a process to solve the problem, there will be some temperature, internal stress, including expansion coefficient, etc., so I want to popularize it.
[Explanation] Chai Guining said that whether it is to attract attention with "refilling light bulbs" or to open training courses, his purpose is to let more people understand and get in touch with the art of curium porcelain, so that this traditional art can keep up with the times. Handed down.
Party Field Report from Xi'an, Shaanxi
Editor in charge: [Li Yuxin]