[Explanation] On the old street of Zhegao, a thousand-year-old town on the shore of Chaohu Lake, Anhui, there is a century-old silver shop opened from the Qing Dynasty to the present. The 67-year-old Hong Jinquan has been selling silver since he was a teenager and inherited the craftsmanship of his ancestors until now. .
[Explanation] Recently, the reporter came to Zhegao Old Street. Hong Jinquan’s silver shop was twenty to thirty meters away from the entrance. The sign of the time-honored "Hong Tongqing" was particularly eye-catching.
Hong Jinquan was hammering the silver bar on the anvil with a hammer, his voice was crisp and with a strong sense of rhythm.
[Explanation] According to Hong Jinquan, Zhe Gao developed water transport and commerce during the Qing Dynasty. The pawnshop of Li Hongzhang, known as the "No. 1 Shop in the World", was located here. His ancestors have been making silver by hand since then, and will fight Silver skills and molds have been passed down from generation to generation.
[Explanation] Hong Jinquan said that after the broken silver is melted, it needs more than ten processes such as cooling, beating, grinding, shaping, and polishing to make silver jewelry.
Among them, the most difficult to make is the making of bracelets and silver locks. Antique patterns and zodiac patterns need to be tapped and carved out with tools. A finished product often takes a week to complete.
[Concurrent] Hong Jinquan, the fifth-generation inheritor of Hong's hand-made silver
The things we make purely by hand are more essential, and the things he makes are durable. We use a little bit of native dialect, but the gloss is better than that of the mall.
[Explanation] Hong Jinquan said that compared with more than a hundred years ago, the silver smelting skills are now authentic, except that the gas furnace is used for melting silver, including the silver smelting tools that were passed down a hundred years ago.
[Explanation] At present, Hong Jinquan still lives by making silver in the old streets, and only charges a few tens of yuan for each processing and manufacturing, which has attracted many citizens to come for custom purchases.
Hong Jinquan said that he usually sells silver according to orders, and on average he buys more than 100 pieces of silver jewelry every month, and his monthly income is about 5,000 yuan.
[Explanation] According to Hong Jinquan, he has never accepted an apprentice in the past. Now, in order to inherit this skill, he calls his son who works outside home to his home and learns the inheritance of silver-making skills with him.
[Concurrent] Hong Jinquan, the fifth-generation inheritor of Hong's hand-made silver
Now people in this industry are unwilling to do it, because our labor costs are too low. We only need 30 yuan to make a bracelet.
[Concurrent] Hong Shichao, the sixth generation inheritor of Hong's hand-made silver
I feel that this industry is still possible, because this thing has to be preserved after all, because intangible culture will become less and less, so we must pass on it so that the young people can see it.
[Explanation] At present, Zhegao Ancient Town is protecting and supporting intangible heritage techniques and traditional handicrafts by helping non-genetic people to increase stores and expand publicity.
Reporter Zhang Jun reports from Hefei, Anhui
Editor in charge: [Yuechuan]