[Concurrent] "Rabbit King" Intangible Heritage Inheritor Yang Feng
In ancient times, there is a myth and legend circulating. One year, in August, the people in Jinan were plagued by a strange disease, and the people suffered unspeakably.
At this time, the Jade Rabbit, who was in charge of making medicine in the Moon Palace, knew the news, took the medicine cake and came to Jinan, the "spring city". It smashed the fairy medicine and stuffed it into seventy-two springs. this strange disease.
Then, in order to commemorate the Jade Rabbit, people will put a clay sculpture of the Rabbit God on the table to worship the moon every August when the moon is full.
[Explanation] This is the legend of "Rabbit King" spread in Jinan. It has distinctive regional characteristics, and it also combines traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival culture with Jinan spring water culture.
Today, "Rabbit King" has been endowed with various meanings such as peace, health, auspiciousness, illness and disaster relief.
[Explanation] With the advent of the Lunar Year of the Rabbit, "Rabbit King" related products are also selling well.
Recently, Yang Feng, the intangible heritage inheritor of "Rabbit King", was interviewed by reporters in the store on the second floor of "Shandong Handmade Exhibition Center" in Jinan, Shandong.
[Concurrent] "Rabbit King" Intangible Heritage Inheritor Yang Feng
When I created this work for the first time, I tried to figure it out repeatedly, reading the descriptions of legends and stories in the book. The (book) gave me a lot of inspiration, a lot of inspiration.
The "Rabbit King" first descended to the "Spring City".
I think, use these spring water landscapes in Jinan to express the city.
Because although this legend has been circulated for a long time, in previous works, I have not seen anyone expressing the elements of these springs. This is one of my ideas.
[Explanation] Under such creativity, Yang Feng combined Jinan spring water elements to create a variety of "rabbit king" images such as "Black Tiger Spring Rabbit King", "Wowing Niu Spring Rabbit King", "Wulongtan Rabbit King" and so on.
[Concurrent] "Rabbit King" Intangible Heritage Inheritor Yang Feng
("Rabbit King") facial make-up I also want to give it some connotation and meaning. I deformed the word "Spring" in Chinese seal script and painted it into a facial make-up. This later became a part of this (Quancheng "Rabbit King") series of works iconic place.
[Explanation] Yang Feng also combined the characteristics of ancient literati paintings that emphasize "poetry", "book", "painting" and "seal" into folk art such as "Rabbit King".
The works of "Spring City" and "Rabbit King" created by him not only combine the characteristics of the seventy-two springs in Jinan, but also include handwritten spring names, poems chanting springs and personal seals.
In Yang Feng's view, such a work can fully demonstrate the characteristics of traditional folk art and the cultural heritage of Jinan Spring Water and Jinan "Rabbit King".
[Explanation] Yang Feng's "Rabbit King" full of Jinan characteristics has been well received by people. Since the second half of 2022, the demand for products has increased significantly, and the supply has been in short supply for a long time.
[Concurrent] "Rabbit King" Intangible Heritage Inheritor Yang Feng
Precisely because it is the Year of the Rabbit, people naturally think of many themes and works related to rabbits, and many people pay attention to "Spring City" and "Rabbit King".
Many of our works have been customized by individuals and units. Not long ago, many of our works have been sold out, and the images that can be seen now are not complete, and many of them have been sold.
[Explanation] Making a "Rabbit King" work requires a long time of hand-drawing. In order to cope with the greatly increased orders during the Spring Festival and the upcoming Lantern Festival orders, Yang Feng is very busy.
For him, these "Rabbit King" works carry his full expectations.
[Concurrent] "Rabbit King" Intangible Heritage Inheritor Yang Feng
"Rabbit King" is a cultural symbol of the city. I hope that it can be recognized and understood by more people. At the same time, I also hope that it can play its role as a cultural carrier and let Jinan people, Chinese people, and people from different parts of the world. People, learn about our excellent traditional Chinese culture through it.
Qi Jianyue reports from Jinan, Shandong
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]