The History of Craftsmanship of the Nine Lovers and Eighteen Craftsmen

In the old China, both Lao and craftsmen referred to craftsmen with specialized skills. Craftsmen held their own skills and made a living independently. There were few who opened stores and set up stores, and most of them operated on the move or helped with labor. "They "farm in the busy season and earn money in the spare time". Walking around the countryside, commonly known as "do the work", the owner in addition to food and drink, another payment, so there is a "dry starvation craftsmen" said. Specific living conditions, the formation of "art is not lightly passed on" custom. The conditions for passing on the art are harsh, and it is very difficult to learn the art. If there is a unique skill, it can only be passed down from family to family, not to outsiders. In some cases, it is stipulated that the skills should be passed on to men but not to women, and this is called the "family division".

To learn from a master, you must first seek a master, that is, ask friends and relatives to make a deal, and then recognize the master after obtaining consent. Recognize the master, the parents of the learner to organize a banquet, invite the master to his home, accompanied by intermediaries, discuss the conditions of learning the art, and then go to the master's home to pay homage to the master: to the industry of the master's tablets to perform a great salute, and then pay homage to the master, and finally pay homage to the master's wife. One day of the master, lifelong father, master and disciple as father and son, the master's children to brother and sister. Three years from the master, the master generally only care about food and clothing, do not pay wages. Participating in the master is more popular in some handicraft industry. The so-called teacher, that is, after the completion of the apprenticeship period, with the master outside the work of 1 year, to take part of the wages, and the rest left to the master, in order to express the grace of the teachings. There is also a little bit of the original craft people to learn from the master of the art is called to participate in the master. In the handicraft industry, there are rituals every year. All over the Lu Ban Temple, Zhang Fei Temple, are the gathering place of worship. Each industry has its own patriarch, wood and tile work to Lu Ban, sewing to Xuanyuan, gold, silver, copper, iron and tin to Taishang Laojun, slaughtering to Zhang Fei as the ancestor. Once a year to get together, the first sacrifice to the patriarch, and then set up a banquet and drink a meal. Between the members of this industry, or between the industry during the year disputes, can be resolved at this time. Those who are opening for the first time are required to explain to the attendees and enlist the support of their fellow tradesmen. Republic of China period, industry-based formation of various types of trade associations, "festival" content increased, such as adjusting the price of work, or on the then-excessive taxes to raise objections and so on. This kind of civil spontaneous organization has continued until after the liberation.

In these handicraft industries there are some leaders, they are no longer satisfied with the traditional way of doing business, but into the towns and cities to open workshops and stores, to create their own unique brand, such as the reputation of Wuhan three towns CaoZhengXing chopper, GaoHongTai gong, and also have a great deal of popularity in China ZhangXiaoQuan scissors is also a typical representative.