China News Service, Jinan, February 9th: Shandong craftsmen inherit the "dragon culture" in intangible cultural heritage and welcome the Year of the Dragon with unique gifts
Author Sun Tingting
As the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon approaches, Shandong straw weaving, paper-cutting, dough sculpture and other intangible cultural heritage craftsmen have shown off their unique skills. Focusing on the dragon culture with unique Chinese characteristics that has lasted for thousands of years, they have created "straw weaving dragon" with the theme of "dragon elements" Year of the Dragon works with different themes and forms, such as "Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Auspiciousness", "Two Dragons Playing with Pearls", "Dragon Flying and Phoenix Dance", and "Dragon Lulu", use a pair of skillful hands to present unique cultural gifts for the upcoming Spring Festival in 2024.
Reeds, cattails, wicker, etc., these ordinary materials have been woven into lifelike and vital works of art through the skillful hands of the people in Mata Lake District, Huantai County. As the Year of the Dragon approaches in the lunar calendar, the "straw dragon" made by Tian Xiaobin, a "post-80s" intangible cultural heritage inheritor on the shores of Mata Lake in Huantai County, which is full of rich lake area style, quickly became popular and welcomed by the market.
While inheriting and developing traditional straw weaving craftsmanship, Tian Xiaobin used the knowledge he learned to incorporate fashion elements into his works, creating crafts such as "straw weaving dragon" and "straw weaving rabbit" that young people like. The zodiac theme is popular among young people on the Internet. .
The reporter saw in Tian Xiaobin's studio that he used reeds, straw ropes, wheat straw and other raw materials from the Mata Lake area to make the largest "straw dragon" 3 meters long and the smallest "straw dragon" only 20 centimeters. Craftsmanship is accepted and loved by more people.
Paper-cutting, also known as paper engraving, is one of the oldest folk arts in China and has a history of thousands of years. Dong Yueqin, the representative inheritor of the provincial intangible cultural heritage paper-cutting project in Chiping District, Liaocheng City, created a series of paper-cut works of auspicious dragons and blessings with the theme of "dragons flourish". The entire work is 1.36 meters high and 0.66 meters wide. It is composed of a pair of It consists of double dragons bringing blessings, auspicious clouds, peonies, fish and water patterns.
Dong Yueqin said that in the painting, two dragons are soaring in the clouds, with peony patterns decorating them, implying wealth, good fortune, and long life. In the work, the dragon's feet turn into the shape of a fish. Both fish and dragon are traditional Chinese mascots. Because of their similarity in appearance and cultural connotation, fish and dragon often appear together. There is a relationship of fusion and mutual development. The fish transforms into a dragon, which symbolizes Make the family prosperous and prosperous. The surrounding water patterns imply blessings, mountains, longevity, and peace for all generations; the characters "auspicious clouds and blessings" set off the festive atmosphere of the festival, and at the same time convey the hope for happiness and good luck in the world.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, Zuo Ansheng, a dough sculpture artist from the Hongshizhai Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Yinan County, Linyi City, has created a lifelike dough sculpture of "dragon and phoenix in auspiciousness" to welcome the new year. Photo by Wang Yanbing
Knead, rub, pinch, cut... In the Hongshizhai Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Yinan County, Linyi City, dough sculptor Zuo Ansheng is making the mascot for the Year of the Dragon. An ordinary piece of dough quickly turns into various shapes in his hands. Some of the "face-sculpted auspicious dragons" have heads and tails raised, some have strong postures, and some are as vivid as flying clouds and mist, which are very endearing.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, Zuo Ansheng, a dough sculpture artist from the Hongshizhai Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Yinan County, Linyi City, has created a lifelike dough sculpture of "dragon and phoenix in auspiciousness" to welcome the new year. Photo by Wang Yanbing
Zuo Ansheng, 54 years old, has inherited the dough sculpture craft for more than 30 years. He is the fifth generation descendant of Zuo's dough sculpture, a Linyi municipal intangible cultural heritage. In order to welcome the Year of the Dragon, Zuo Ansheng made more than 10 sets of dough sculptures of "auspicious dragons" such as "Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Auspiciousness", "Two Dragons Playing with Pearls" and "Flying Dragons and Phoenixes". Among them, "Two Dragons Playing with Pearls" is particularly eye-catching.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, Zuo Ansheng, a dough sculpture artist from the Hongshizhai Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Yinan County, Linyi City, has created a lifelike dough sculpture of "dragon and phoenix in auspiciousness" to welcome the new year. Photo by Wang Yanbing
A red dragon and a yellow dragon, brightly colored, symmetrically placed on the left and right sides, in a walking dragon posture. The colorful dragon beads, expressive dragon eyes, delicate dragon scales, especially the flamboyant dragon claws make the two dragons compete for the dragon beads. The playfulness was evident. After inheriting the craftsmanship for many years, Zuo Ansheng has been innovating on the basis of family inheritance, and has mastered various techniques and techniques for making dough sculptures. The dough sculptures he kneads are soft and bright, without cracks or wrinkles, and are unique in style.
"This year is the Year of the Dragon, and the dragon is the mascot of our Chinese nation. I made these 'auspicious dragon sculptures' to wish our motherland a great success in the new year," Zuo Ansheng said.
The intangible cultural heritage sugar painting Chinese dragon is not only a display of skills, but also the inheritance and promotion of Chinese culture. It reflects the people's admiration and worship of the dragon totem and shows the unique charm and profound heritage of traditional culture.
On the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon, Li Ranran, the intangible inheritor of Li's sugar painting in Ningyang County, Tai'an City, innovatively created a three-dimensional "dragon dragon" based on the traditional two-dimensional sugar painting manufacturing. Photo by Chen Yang
On the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon, Li Ranran, the intangible inheritor of Li's sugar painting in Ningyang County, Tai'an City, innovatively created a three-dimensional "dragon dragon" based on the traditional two-dimensional sugar painting manufacturing.
On the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon, Li Ranran, the intangible inheritor of Li's sugar painting in Ningyang County, Tai'an City, innovatively created a three-dimensional "dragon dragon" based on the traditional two-dimensional sugar painting manufacturing. Photo by Chen Yang
"The main characteristics of our Li's sugar paintings are three-dimensional beauty and lifelike shapes. This year I created the work "Dragon in Prosperity" with dragons, Mount Tai and auspicious clouds as elements." Li Ranran said that the Year of the Dragon is an auspicious year and represents Prosperity and luck. I would like to use this work to wish our motherland a new year of renewal, prosperity, peace and prosperity for the country and the people.
From soaking the paper with clean water, sweeping the paper into the depression, applying ink on the rubbing, to peeling off the paper after the rubbing, the whole process is done in one go. The red dragon is like a real dragon, as if dancing among the clouds or tumbling in the sky. . Photo by Chen Yang
"The dragon moves and rumbles, rejoicing in the country." A piece of paper, a dish of ink, a rubbing bag, a pottery plate, a vivid soaring dragon appeared... Xu Xiufeng, the fifth generation inheritor of Tai'an Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage Daizong Chuantuo, intertwined Chuantuo skills with dragon culture Integrate and rub out the pattern of the prosperous dragon. In this way, we welcome the Year of the Dragon in the Lunar Calendar and create a festive atmosphere for the upcoming New Year.
Xu Xiufeng is teaching rubbing techniques. Photo by Chen Yang
From soaking the paper with clean water, sweeping the paper into the depression, applying ink on the rubbing, to peeling off the paper after the rubbing, the whole process is done in one go. The red dragon is like a real dragon, as if dancing among the clouds or tumbling in the sky. . The dragon's tail rolls like waves, showing both majesty and agility. Xu Xiufeng used his "Three Treasures" of traditional rubbing to express the rubbing skills of clear water rubbing and sweeping paper into the concave method vividly and consummately. The rubbings made by a pair of skillful hands have clear characters, complete rubbings, uniform ink color, and the ink does not penetrate the paper.
"The dragon is a well-known mascot in China. It represents auspiciousness, justice, prosperity and strength. For thousands of years, Chinese people have placed countless good wishes on it. The Year of the Dragon in Jiachen is very important to the Chinese people. It is a particularly meaningful year." Xu Xiufeng hopes to use this rubbing to wish the motherland a prosperous, prosperous and peaceful new year.
As the Year of the Dragon is approaching, "skilled craftsmen" from Yiyuan County, Zibo City welcome the new year with lifelike intangible cultural heritage gourd paintings. "Zhu's gourd pyrography technique" originated from the folk custom of "children holding gourds for a hundred days to cut their hair to ward off evil spirits and pray for blessings".
Zhu Qingfeng, 45 years old, is the fifth generation inheritor of "Zhu's gourd pyrography technique" in Yiyuan County. Zhu Qingfeng used tweezers to cut the soft, flat and tough brass-colored alumina into various patterns according to the design draft, dipped it in Baijirong paste, and stuck it on the gourd to make a cloisonné filigree gourd with distinct colors. The posture of the dragon changes in many ways.
Chu Changran, who is only 21 years old, is the disciple of Yang Yun, the fifth generation inheritor of Yunxian cloisonné filigree craftsmanship, a Zibo municipal intangible cultural heritage, and is the sixth generation inheritor. With infinite love for intangible cultural heritage and a spirit of perseverance, he used iron as a pen and fire as ink to paint gourds to make the dragon head more powerful and domineering.
In addition to straw weaving, paper-cutting, sugar painting, etc., the reporter learned from interviews that many inheritors of kite-making skills (Weifang kites) and Jinan ceramic sculpture skills, an intangible cultural heritage project, have created around "dragon elements" to depict the image of the dragon and convey the spirit of the dragon. , to express the yearning for a better life. (over)