[Explanation] Burials have been popular in China for thousands of years.
As an accompanying product of burial, the coffins in Liuzhou, Guangxi are famous for their high quality, large quantity and excellent handcraft. Since ancient times, there is a folk saying "eat in Guangzhou, wear in Suzhou, play in Hangzhou, die in Liuzhou", among which "die in Liuzhou" It is a compliment to the Liuzhou coffin.
The appearance of Liuzhou coffin in the classic Hong Kong martial arts novels adds a legendary color to it.
[Explanation] At the Sancha intersection of Liudao Street, Chengtuan Town, Liujiang District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi, 68-year-old Liang Youren is grinding the surface of a coffin with a grinder. The longest carving work has been completed.
Liang Youren was originally a carpenter, and now he has been making coffins for nearly 40 years. He is a well-known local coffin maker.
[Concurrent] Liang Youren, a coffin maker
"Die in Liuzhou" and "eat in Guangzhou", Liuzhou coffins have been famous since ancient times.
Because there must be good wood (for coffins) in Shiwanda Mountain in Guangxi.
[Explanation] Liang Youren is good at making carved coffins.
Different from ordinary coffins, the outer layer of carved coffins has delicate patterns carved by hand, which requires higher production process.
Liang Youren, 68, took care of more than 30 processes from cutting, assembling, carving, polishing to painting.
In Liang Youren's toolbox, nearly a hundred kinds of tools are used for carving.
[Concurrent] Liang Youren, a coffin maker
The carvings are beautiful, and later I also learned to carve.
Carved flowers (coffins) can be sold at a good price, and foreign merchants (most of them) buy carved flowers (coffins).
(Engraving is completed) It takes one month, at least one month.
Grinding and grinding, carving and grinding, grinding and grinding, I don't know how many knives were carved.
[Explanation] Liang Youren's coffin shop is one of the oldest coffin shops on the street. There are nearly ten carved coffins of different materials and sizes such as nanmu, fir, and cypress.
Among them, Chinese fir coffins have the largest sales volume, and the raw materials used come from Rongshui and Sanjiang in the upper reaches of Liujiang River in Liuzhou City.
The highest price is the golden nanmu coffin.
In the store, a pair of golden silk nanmu carved coffins with a length of about 2.4 meters, a width of about 1 meter and a height of about 1.1 meters weighed about 600 kilograms and sold for more than 200,000 yuan.
[Explanation] Today, he produces and sells more than 100 ordinary coffins and carved coffins every year, with an annual income of 600,000 yuan.
The carved coffins he made have been exported to Singapore, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
[Concurrent] Liang Youren, a coffin maker
(Annual income) At least 300,000 to 400,000 yuan, and if it is smooth, it will be 50,000 to 600,000 yuan.
Affected by the epidemic now, there is no problem with 500,000 to 600,000 yuan a year (income) without the epidemic.
(Coffin) sold to Singapore, Malaysia.
[Explanation] In 2019, Liang Youren took his works to Tianjin to participate in the Funeral Expo. Liuzhou coffins attracted the attention of tourists from all over the country.
Liang Youren introduced the Liuzhou coffin over and over again, and his mouth was dry, but he felt very proud.
[Concurrent] Liang Youren, a coffin maker
(Tourists) always came to see our Liuzhou coffins. I made my throat hoarse with publicity. I introduced them to (tourists), gave them business cards, and talked about the history of Liuzhou coffins. I was very busy at that time.
Liu Juncong Li Jiaoyang reports from Liuzhou, Guangxi
Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]