“China’s First Farmer City” in the Eyes of “Partners”

　　China News Service, Wenzhou, March 24th: Title: "China's First Farmer City" in the Eyes of "Partners"

　　Author Zhang Yicong

　　"I learned art at the age of 16, and lacquer art became my 'boy's skill.'" He Bikuo, the inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage "lacquer ware" in Longgang City, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, said that he may be one of the earlier batch of people in Longgang to "come out." "Hometown, return to hometown" people have now become one of the "partners" of Longgang cultural construction.

　　The reason why He Bikkuo calls himself a "partner" is because he has a long history in "partnership" city building in Longgang. In the early 1980s, "ten thousand yuan (RMB) households" around Longgang raised funds and local farmers gathered together to build "China's first farmers' city" with five small fishing villages, writing a legendary story in the history of local development in China. One stroke.

　　At the end of the 20th century, with the rapid development of market economy, Longgang's urban development and He Bikkuo's personal development reached a turning point. On the one hand, Longgang's economic growth is accelerating, and the size of the township has begun to be stretched; on the other hand, craftsmen are struggling to "rely on their skills to make a living", and He Bikuo must make life choices.

The interior display of Wenzhou Jiazhou Lacquer Ware Museum. Photo courtesy of Longgang City

　　The lacquerware technique He Bikkuo learned was inherited from the He family in Longgang in the early Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty in China. Its profound "clipping" craft is known as the "Three Treasures" of traditional Chinese crafts along with Beijing cloisonne and Jiangxi Jingdezhen porcelain.

　　"Life is easy no matter what, but the inheritance of such cultural treasures cannot be cut off." So, He Bikkuo chose to return to Longgang, the birthplace of his craft.

　　In addition to being "China's first farmers' city", Longgang is also the "China's Printing City". To this day, labels produced in Longgang are sold overseas and even affixed to reagent bottles in overseas laboratories. "When I first came back, the printing industry in Longgang was developed, and the products have changed from meal tickets and vegetable tickets to gift packaging and calendars." Since then, He Bikkuo has taken root in Longgang, looking for a living while continuing to study for thousands of years. Lacquer art.

　　In 2009, Longgang's "lacquer ware" technique embarked on the road of intangible inheritance, and He Bikuo became the intangible inheritor of this technique. Until 2023, He Bikuo, who has received many honors, will take "Chinese lacquerware" to Thailand, making lacquerware art a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and Thailand, and also letting the world see Longgang.

　　Before going overseas, He Bikkuo had founded the Wenzhou Jiaqu Lacquerware Museum in China. "In 2014, I established a non-profit folk museum to supplement the folk perspective of 'Chinese lacquerware' art." He said.

Exterior view of Wenzhou Jiazhou Lacquer Ware Museum. Photo courtesy of Longgang City

　　In 2019, Longgang "removed a town and converted it into a city". Under the pressure of being "the first town to be converted into a city in China", He Bikkuo is undoubtedly one of the best "partners" in the cultural construction of Longgang.

　　With the promotion of the Longgang Municipal Government, the Wenzhou Jiazhou Lacquer Ware Museum has been integrated into the cultural space of Longgang City, and has also ushered in a comprehensive upgrade of the venue. "During the construction of the museum, I saw the 'Longgang Speed'." He Bikkuo said.

　　In November 2022, together with the opening of the Jiazhou Lacquer Ware Museum, eight major cultural venues including Longyue Road City Study and Cuihu City Study will be launched collectively. It only took half a year from the start to completion of the above cultural spaces.

　　“China’s first farmers’ city”, “China’s Printing City”, “China’s first town-to-city”... these may be Longgang in the eyes of others. "That small fishing village has now become a modern new city." He Bikkuo said frankly that this is Longgang in the eyes of his "partner". (over)