Cultural code in wood
Chinese people love wood not only because of its practical properties, but also because wood contains the wisdom of their ancestors. An ordinary piece of wood can be transformed into a story book that seems to talk through the craftsman's skillful carving. The flowers, birds, fish, insects, and gods and figures carved on doors, windows, bed edges, and countertops were not carved randomly for fun. Behind each pattern, there is a specific auspicious meaning. In the past, it was more common for people to be illiterate. However, once you see the bat on the wood carving, you will know that "good luck has come", and when you see the lotus seed, you will clearly know that it means "continuous birth of a noble son." This tacit understanding passed down from generation to generation is what we traditional wood carving art The most charming place.
From Hemudu to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a carving knife carved thousands of years
Don’t think that wood carving is a skill that only appeared in modern times. As early as 7,000 years ago at the Hemudu Cultural Site, an archaeological team unearthed a wood carving of fish. This is the earliest physical wood carving discovered so far. By the Warring States Period and the Han Dynasty, wood carving technology had become quite mature. The tomb-slaying beasts unearthed in Xinyang, Henan, and the painted wooden figurines of Yunmeng, Hubei, have vivid shapes and neat knife skills. In particular, craftsmen of the Han Dynasty came up with an ingenious method: dividing the animal into several parts such as head, body and feet, carving them separately and then reassembling them, which solved the problem of easy cracking of whole wood carvings. Buddhism was very prosperous during the Tang and Song Dynasties. During this period, wooden Buddha statues reached their artistic peak. Those Bodhisattva statues preserved in temples have very smooth lines and extremely peaceful expressions. They are still treasures in the eyes of collectors at home and abroad. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, wood carvings completely entered people's daily lives. From the corbels on the roof beams to the bride's dowry box, signs of meticulous carving can be seen everywhere.
Bat, pomegranate, longevity star, each pattern has something to say
What is particularly interesting about traditional wood carving is that it has the meaning of "there is something in the words". If you see a bat holding a copper coin in its mouth, this situation is called "blessing in front of you"; if there are five bats surrounding a longevity character, it represents "five blessings and longevity"; when the bats and clouds are combined together, the implication is "continuous good luck". Pomegranate wood carvings can often be seen at the bedside of newlyweds at home. Because of the large number of pomegranate seeds, it symbolizes "many children and grandchildren." Putting longan and lotus seeds together means they have the same pronunciation as "continuous birth of noble sons." On the screen used for birthday celebrations for the elderly, pine trees and cranes are a fixed combination, which after all means "pines and cranes prolong life". And there is the old birthday boy with a smile on his face, his forehead has a high bulge, he is leaning on a cane in one hand and holding a peach in the other hand, which makes people feel happy. The reason why these patterns can be circulated for hundreds of years without fading is that they express the simplest wishes in the hearts of ordinary people: peace, wealth, many children, and longevity.
Characters in opera teach rules, and gentlemen in flowers convey moral character.
This does not mean that wood carving only emphasizes blessings, it also teaches people how to live in the world. In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", the scene of Guan Gong reading the Spring and Autumn Festival at night is carved on the study room partition. This surviving wood carving scene can always remind the owner of the house. Be sure to adhere to the moral character of loyalty and integrity; the related stories of "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" frequently appear in hanging places in the hall. Such a vivid presentation allows the younger generation to clearly understand the profound meaning of "Filial piety is the first thing" when they look up inadvertently. There are also wood carvings based on the theme of flowers and birds. Among them, plum blossoms have the tenacity of proud snow, orchids exude a quiet and unique fragrance, bamboos have modesty and humility, and chrysanthemums have the tenacity of being cold-resistant. They are collectively known as the "Four Gentlemen". In the study environment of literati, they most prefer to use these four flower and tree styles for decoration. Such decoration can not only have a beautiful visual effect, but also clearly express the aspirations and feelings they pursue. The lotus growing in the mud is not contaminated, and when paired with the mandarin ducks, it means "a happy marriage for a hundred years"; the peony, which blooms with the appearance of wealth, when combined with the vase, symbolizes "wealth and peace." These wood carvings are like a three-dimensional textbook, transforming the principles of benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom, and trust into pictures that everyone can understand.
Looking at wood carvings and understanding them is cultural inheritance
Today, when we appreciate an ancient wood carving, we must not only look at the fineness of the carving craftsmanship and the value of the wood used, but we also need to understand the story behind it. For a traditional wood carving, one has to be very particular about selecting the materials. Camphor wood has anti-insect effect, nanmu is very valuable, and boxwood has a delicate texture. After the craftsman obtains the wood, the first thing he does is to "read the wood". He cuts the knife along the grain of the wood and blends the pattern with the natural shape of the wood. This kind of wisdom in respecting materials and applying skills according to the characteristics of materials is precisely the essence of Chinese handicrafts. It is a pity that the number of people who master this craft is decreasing day by day. Many old and worn-out wood carvings are scattered in the second-hand market, and no one pays attention to them. The next time you see an ancient ceiling board carved with bats and longevity peaches, you might as well stop and take a closer look. What is engraved on it is not just a pattern, but also the expectations of generations of Chinese people for a better life.
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