The Development of Maenga Carving

The Burmese eggplant tree comes from Burma, and is a rare genus of Aphrodite in the family of Sumac. It is a rare genus of Aphrodite in the world. The maize eggplant of Gaozhou is unique to Gaozhou, and is known as a "unique tree" in China and rare in the world. Born in Guanya Village on the west coast of Gaozhou, the maize eggplant tree is more than 400 years old. It blossoms around the time of Ching Ming every year, and the pods mature around the time of the Spring Festival in the following year. The pods are about 25 centimeters long, with 3 to 6 fruits in the pods, resembling eggplants, so they are called Maine eggplants. The fruit is the size of a thumb, 3/5 dark brown; 2/5 yellow wax color, commonly known as "wax head", horny, glossy, fine texture, tough texture, can be carved.

Guangxu years reworked the "Maoming County Records" contained: "the katsura from Burma ...... three hundred years in the Middle Kingdom without a double". Gaozhou's maize eggplant tree has a poignant legend, according to legend, Ming Shenzong once gave two maize eggplant seeds to too Fu Li Bangzhi, Li sued the old man back to his hometown to live in the West Bank village of Gaozhou, "treasured bedroom. One day not seen, suspected of theft of maidservants, canes to death. Subsequently (seeds) sprouted under his son's bed, the injustice was first realized". Qing "Gaozhou County Records" contains "Bamboo Branch Lyrics" describes the incident: "the Maengjia tree has become a large find, the maiden injustice sadness of the past and present; fruit so far, people do not eat, long time to see the daughter of the heart". Another cloud: "Jianjiang river bank waves like flowers, the sun has slanted west of the city of Maoming, pointing to the evening smoke at the beginning of the place, the maize eggplant shade is your home". The tomato tree is now 5 meters in circumference, branches and leaves, covering more than 5 acres of land. In addition to the old tree, there are three other plants, two of which have been planted for more than 30 years without seeing results.

In 1885, Gaozhou County, Nanhua Road Peng Xueyuan started kyaraboko carving process, the carving works are birds, monkeys, deer, bees, Goddess of Mercy, Buddha, "dragon and phoenix play beads," and "Double Lion Dance Ball," and so on, which implies a "Jennifer, Marquis, Luk, Fung," the meaning of happiness and good fortune; but also carving stamps and seals. Folk take its auspiciousness, used as wedding gifts, gradually spread. In the Republic of China, there are Peng Yiyun, Peng Yaojia, Peng Jinhe, Chen Zhenwu, Chen Shifen, Liping and other successors to its art, kyat carving tends to be subtle, a kyat on top of the surprisingly engraved "Waterman San Francisco", "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea," and other folk stories, a kyat carving can be sold for two dollars in silver, the highest can be sold for 15 yuan. Anti-Japanese War period sales were blocked, the artists took the product to Guangzhou Bay (now Zhanjiang Port) to foreign seamen or merchants to sell, kyat carvings have since spread to overseas.

After the founding of New China, the people's government attaches great importance to the development of the maize eggplant carving business. 1956 Chen Zhenwu, Chen Shifen, Zhang Wenzi, Chen Hanquan and others jointly formed the Gaozhou County attached to the city carving society. Also created a new "plum blossom", "chrysanthemum", "pine age and longevity", "Tiananmen Square" and "Monkey Mountain" and other modern themes. 1957 kyat carving works in Beijing to participate in the National Agricultural Exhibition, Liu Shaoqi, Vice President of the State also kyat carvings as a valuable gift to the visiting Soviet Union head of state Voroshilov.

After the beginning of the "Cultural Revolution", the kyaraboko carving began to decline, only a few old artists hobby, amateur still carving, the art is not lost.

In 1985, Zhang Wenzui with his carving of the "group of lions", "dragon and phoenix" and "dragon" 3 works, was invited to participate in the Asia-Pacific regional exposition, was well received. 1986 years, the then general secretary of the central government of the *** Central Hu Yaobang inspection of Gaozhou, praised Gaozhou kyaraboko carving art. 1987 New Year's Day in Guangzhou Oriental Paradise was organized by "" Guangdong Province Folk Art Festival "". Guangdong Provincial Folk Art Festival" in Guangzhou Oriental Paradise on New Year's Day in 1987, selling at 14 yuan per piece.