[Explanation] In Zibo, Shandong, there is such a rubbing master who is obsessed with stones, his name is Cao Yi.
After graduating from the Archaeology Department of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2007, Cao Yi gave up his high-paying archaeological work and chose to return to his hometown to follow his father and start the calligraphy and painting industry.
In 2009, he started to contact the ornamental stone industry.
In 2012, Cao Yi officially switched to the full-scale extension of ornamental stones.
[Explanation] On September 14, the reporter met Cao Yi who was rubbing stones at a painting and calligraphy antique market in Zhangdian District, Zibo City.
In the fifty-sixty-square-meter studio, each room is filled with strange-shaped stones and rubbings.
He said that he has been making rubble for nearly ten years, and he has dealt with rubble every day.
[Concurrent] Rubbings teacher Cao Yi
(Going on) this (Tuoshi) road, generally speaking, groping and walking, which means that there must be hardships in the middle.
It may be said that at the beginning I could only develop the shape, but not the charm.
[Explanation] Full-shaped rubbing is a special hand rubbing technique that converts the original three-dimensional appearance of the utensils to flat rubbing paper. Xuan paper and ink are commonly used tools.
The full-shape rubbing stone is a three-dimensional stone with holes, which is rubbed on a flat rice paper to present a three-dimensional stone, which has a realistic effect similar to a photograph.
According to Cao Yi, making a piece of Shi Tuo's work may seem simple, but it is actually a "technical work" that consumes energy and brainpower.
[Concurrent] Rubbings teacher Cao Yi
To make a stone, basically, first, I have to draw a picture first, that is, after I get the stone, I have to look at it first, just like our medical anatomy, how wide the stone is.
Because it can't be covered up like a rubbing monument, the stones are deformed when they are lifted off.
First make a draft, and then texture a piece of texture, according to the draft of the painting to correspondingly draw down.
Finally, use the occlusion method to synthesize (expand) the entire shape of the (stone).
It requires on a piece of rice paper.
It takes 3 to 5 days to make this rubbing.
[Explanation] Takushi has a strict production process. The final presentation of a rubbing work depends on the selection of ornamental stones.
Cao Yi always adheres to his own standards on how to choose stones.
[Concurrent] Rubbings teacher Cao Yi
Everyone, every person who appreciates stones, his comprehensive quality is what we call aesthetics now.
What kind of aesthetics he achieves, the beauty he may see is different.
As for me, can I integrate the beauty that most people see into this piece of paper.
[Explanation] Cao Yi's hometown, Zibo, is adjacent to the Yimeng Mountain area, which is rich in peculiar aragonites.
Based on this unique condition, Cao Yi produced rubbings of corresponding sizes according to the different characteristics of the origin, shape, color and size of the stones, and developed works of different styles.
[Concurrent] Rubbings teacher Cao Yi
Some stones live in the mountains, and some stones live in the water. The texture of its (stone) is different in all respects, so when it is expanded, it must be different.
When the stone in the water may grow, it is warmer.
The rocks on the mountain are relatively dry and may be thicker.
Rubbing, whose carrier is rice paper, presents the beauty of a stone.
Then we not only talk about its shape, texture, color and even rhythm, but only show it through the change of ink color, that is to say, the shades of our paintings.
The other is to find out the characteristics of each stone, and integrate the characteristics from several angles on a piece of paper, presenting it from a single perspective to multiple perspectives.
[Explanation] Through unremitting study and research, Cao Yi is now well-known in the field of full-scale extension, and his works have won awards in many exhibitions.
In recent years, he has also widely recruited more than 20 disciples and taught Tuoshi skills, hoping that the traditional cultural skills of Tuoshi can be popularized and passed on.
[Concurrent] Rubbings teacher Cao Yi
In the future, I might want to use my whole life to make a book, can I make a collection of these stones?
I very much hope that the traditional stone-appreciation art, rubbing art, and painting art can be perfectly integrated.
(Concentration) All aspects of the power to bring more students, let them join in the work of inheriting this full-scale development of ancient craftsmanship.
Zhang Shun reports from Zibo, Shandong
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]