Fuzhou cork painting, silent poem

Poetry has three beauties: structural beauty, rhythmic beauty and artistic conception beauty. Cork painting is known as "silent poetry" precisely because of these three kinds of beauty.

Li Yu once said that "melody is emphasized at the beginning of the lyrics, and the structure is given to the loner first". Cork painting materials are mostly based on mountains and rivers, which is a generalization and sublimation of natural scenery. If you want to show different styles such as grandeur, tranquility and elegance between square inches, you need to use appropriate structure. The scenery of cork painting absorbs the essence of the palace garden layout, and this process is often checked by the master himself. "Before you know this, you can't wave an axe." The master has a plan where to place the rockery and decorate the pavilion. Cork painting is three-dimensional and has a unique sense of space. Through the comparison between high and low, static and dynamic, virtual and real, and blank treatment, the pattern is broadened and the imagination space is extended. At ordinary times, the lake is rippling with blue waves, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the details nearby are expressed in meticulous brushwork. Finally, the overall composition is reasonable, complex and simple, with high and low towers and scattered pavilions, similar to the structure of poetry.

Although silent, it does not hinder the expression of rhythm at all. When we see a cork work, we are first attracted by the details, such as the footprints left by the tip of a ballet on cork. It will take an old master at least half a year to carve a work three feet long. Standing in front of the work, I can't help gesturing privately with my hands, and I feel the urgency of using a knife and swimming backwards. Look at the part, the lines are thick and thin, straight and dense, all of which are hearty, and Fiona Fang's modeling is ingenious and free and easy; Cork painting, based on Quercus variabilis imported from Portugal, Spain or Arabia. The wood is loose, the surface is not smooth, and tiny holes are scattered sporadically, which adds a bit of naturalness and vividness to the works. Painting is three-dimensional. With the change of perspective, it is like being in a garden, changing the scenery. From one side to the other, the shadow is also moving, as if the stars are moving, and time is melancholy. After watching it for a long time, suddenly everything came alive, as if there were colors, sounds and movements. The pine forest is lush and swaying, the water is gurgling and winding, and the birds are chirping and jumping. One mountain and one stone are thought-provoking, every grass and tree is full of vitality, birds and animals are interdependent and full of elegance. Individuals are lifelike, local echoes echo each other, and the whole is harmonious and consistent, all of which show exquisite charm and rhythm.

Cork painting has a strong realism, paying attention to both "tangible" and "intentional". From natural beauty to artistic beauty, it is a process of refinement and sublimation. The core of "seeing things and taking images" lies in "spirit likeness". Writing style is deceitful if it is not similar, and vulgar if it is too similar. It is necessary to "deform the image", change the proportion moderately and exaggerate the characteristics moderately in order to better express emotion, meaning and philosophy. Cork painting also skillfully uses the artistic technique of "seeing the big from the small", which has the performance effect of "a hundred miles of rivers and mountains, all in one frame". These rich expressive elements and harmonious creative combinations are all aimed at letting the audience understand the author's "implication". Because of this, cork painting can be poetic and literary, become the nourishment of spiritual life, guide emotions, stimulate will, cultivate sentiment and nourish thoughts.

Cork painting originated in Xiyuan Village, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, and has a history of one hundred years. In 2008, it was selected as a national intangible cultural heritage, and together with Shoushan stone carving and bodiless lacquerware, it became the "three treasures" of Fuzhou traditional crafts. For a century, it has experienced a cycle from origin, development, prosperity to weakness.

This art appeared at the end of19th century. Inspired by the wooden New Year cards brought back from abroad by overseas Chinese, folk artists in Fuzhou made this unique handicraft with cork as raw material, knives as ghosts and traditional carving skills in China. In 1970s and 1980s, the development of cork painting reached its peak, and the finished products were exported to all countries in the world. The annual output value of Xiyuan Village alone reaches tens of millions of yuan. In the early 1990s, China's foreign trade suffered a "cold winter", and the domestic market was flooded with many inferior imitations. In addition, the theme and content of cork painting are out of date, especially not recognized by young people, and gradually decline.

Under the leadership of Mr. Chen Junkun, the non-legacy planet experiencer and a group of junior two students from Warren Middle School visited his studio. The studio is in a simple factory building, but there is Gan Kun in it, which is simply a miniature museum. Among them, there are hundreds of typical cork paintings. Teacher Chen knows this very well. This is elegant, this is Zen, and that is to express good wishes.

After simply appreciating the works, Mr. Chen introduced in detail the making process of cork painting and the basic techniques of using a knife. The children are eager to try and can't wait to start their own production. The teacher gave each student a cork, drew the shape of the trunk on it with a pen and asked the students to describe it accordingly. From the beginning, I was in a lot of trouble. This knife was heavy, the trunk was cut off, and the knife was wide, which almost caused heroic injuries. It is really a matter of course. After the initial frolicking, the children gradually quieted down, and the atmosphere dared not come out, fearing that the leaves as thin as cicadas would be blown away. Like a beginner ballet, the children's carving knives clumsily jump on the cork.

Looking at the children's interesting and focused expressions, Mr. Chen also felt very gratified. Finally, with the help of the teacher, each student completed a miniature cork painting, full of sense of accomplishment.

Children are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to be influenced by profound culture since childhood. Implant intangible culture into their hearts, understand that there is such a thing, understand the wisdom of our ancestors, and know where we come from.

In order to inherit and develop the traditional cork painting technology, contemporary old cork painting artists, represented by Mr. Chen, keep exploring and innovating. Improve and innovate in materials, colors, technologies and uses.

Some works have achieved unexpected results through the combination of works of art such as Jin Zhongbai and root carving, with the help of changeable shapes and textures; Some works try to do some coloring and embellishment on the basis of logs to increase the vividness of the works; Some works combine cork painting with photography, with excellent landscape photography as the background to enhance performance; The content of the work has expanded from natural scenery and pavilions to life scenes and landmark buildings. There are also some masters who actively absorb wood carving, stone carving and other skills, learn from others, take its essence and upgrade and innovate in techniques.

In addition to artistic expression, the old artists also took great pains in the types and promotion of their works.

Traditional cork paintings are often used for pendants, screens, large and small ornaments and so on. Combined with lacquerware, shell carving and other crafts, cork painting becomes the decoration of daily necessities such as fruit bowls and dressing boxes. Teacher Chen's studio is also developing new high-end daily necessities, souvenirs, business gifts and fine collections.

Cork painting is rich in experience and can be combined with aesthetic, education, tourism and other forms to give full play to the value of traditional culture. The combination of cork painting and aesthetic education can enhance aesthetic ability and cultivate classical and quiet charm; The combination of cork painting and teenagers' social practice can improve teenagers' understanding of traditional culture and cultivate students' concentration and practical ability; The combination of cork painting and high-end tourism provides a unique immersive cultural experience and has become a business card of Fuzhou.

In terms of personnel training, cork painting has gradually transitioned from mentoring to systematic "academic" teaching ... Even so, cork painting is facing an unprecedented crisis. According to Mr. Chen, at present, only more than 20 masters in Fuzhou are still engaged in cork painting carving, and nearly half of them are gathered in Mr. Chen Junkun's studio. "The average age is over 70 years old." There are almost no young faces. On the one hand, the commercial value of cork painting is not reflected, and the income is not enough to attract young people. On the other hand, the carving process of cork painting is complicated and the entry threshold is high. It takes at least two or three years to learn fur. Teacher Chen's generation needed to steal from teachers when they were young, but now they want to teach but no one wants to learn. Craftsmen's ingenuity cannot be passed down from generation to generation.

The master is getting older and his skills are on the verge of being lost. If this trend continues, cork painting will disappear in the next 10 years. To Mr. Chen's heartache, he witnessed the prosperity and development of cork painting, and may also watch him decline and die.

If our descendants can only see cork paintings from museums and picture books in the future, it will be our sin and their regret.

I hope more people care about and like cork painting.