Chinanews.com Luliang, February 28th telegram: Gourd branded "gold" Shanxi peasant women's "fire pen" outlines happiness
Author Yang Jing
From an ordinary farmer who grows gourds to becoming the fifth-generation inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage Wenshui hyacinth making skills, Xue Gailian has an indissoluble bond with gourds. She hopes to continue to open up new fields of gourd culture, so that more people can experience it. To the charm of traditional Chinese folk crafts.
On the 28th, when I walked into Xue Gailian's studio in Wu Village, Nanzhuang Town, Wenshui County, Luliang City, Shanxi Province, I saw gourds of various sizes and shapes. Even the tea cups were made of gourds. Pyrography, or pyrography, is exquisitely made and attracts people to stop and appreciate.
Xue Gailian's gourd pyrography works.
Provided by Xue Gailian
Xue Gailian told reporters that in the early years, the family planted grapes like the villagers, but due to the influence of the soil climate, the yield was not good.
Later, through investigation and study, he began to try to grow gourds.
"Determine the row spacing, plant spacing, how to prevent pests and diseases, how to set fruit, harvest, dry, and store... Our husband and wife have visited gourd growers hundreds of kilometers away many times, and gradually mastered the way of growing gourds."
Seeing the harvest of plain gourds, Xue Gailian, who loved painting since childhood, came up with the idea of painting on gourds.
"I tried pyrographing on the gourd myself, but the effect was not good, so I consulted friends who are engaged in gourd craftsmanship, systematically learned the craftsmanship of pyrography and the use of tools, and gradually mastered the gourd pyrography technique."
Xue Gailian's gourd pyrography works.
Provided by Xue Gailian
Gourd pyrography, also known as heat transfer gourd, fire pen painting gourd, is a traditional Chinese folk craft with a long history and unique artistic style.
"To make a gourd handicraft requires steps such as peeling, drying, polishing, carving, and painting, and pays attention to landscaping according to the shape, and each gourd has its own style." Xue Gailian introduced that gourd pyrography uses gourd as the carrier and engraving as the method. , supplemented by needle engraving, color painting, hollowing out, embossing and other techniques, and applied methods such as hooking, streaking, spotting, dyeing, rubbing, and line drawing.
In order to make the works more exquisite, Xue Gailian also went to Shandong, Tianjin and other places to learn the technique of pyrography and the deep processing technology of gourd handicrafts.
Xue Gailian's gourd pyrography works have gradually attracted villagers in the same village. The villagers often come to inquire and learn. In order to facilitate the teaching of skills, she and her family established a gourd planting and processing base in the local area to lead the villagers to increase their income.
"Training twice a year, gourd planting and pyrography techniques are taught free of charge. Now there are more than ten gourd processing factories in the village, and there are more than 100 villagers who have mastered the gourd pyrography craftsmanship." Xue Gailian said that under her influence, the two After graduating from university, her daughter returned to her hometown to start her own business, and also participated in the research and development of gourd art.
In order to better pass down the old craftsmanship, Xue Gailian continued to innovate, adding decorative methods such as leza, fan-making, fire painting, pressing flowers, needle-drawing, etc. in the production of gourds, and incorporating some modern elements to attract more young people to pay attention to gourd branding. Painting.
At present, Xue Gailian is also cooperating with the intangible cultural heritage into the campus, the intangible cultural heritage into the community and other activities to display the gourd pyrography, so as to promote this traditional culture.
"The next step will be to actively introduce modern planting technology, improve the scientific and technological content of gourd planting, continue to study gourd craftsmanship skills, help improve the villagers' gourd processing technology, and let everyone use small gourds together to make a fortune." Xue Gailian said.
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