The splendid chapter of the context｜The beauty of lacquer is radiant
Editor's note: Continue the historical context and compose contemporary chapters. Since the new era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts, the inheritance and development of China’s excellent traditional culture has taken on a new look and created a new situation. Each cultural heritage, from tradition to modernity, connects history and future, and becomes a vivid cultural business card for the world to understand China and for China to go global. The "Lianbo" column specially launches the "Passing on the Fire" series of planning to experience the Chinese cultural heritage from cultural inheritance.
"The ancient lacquer has a lustrous luster, like black gold but not cold, it seems bright and solemn, the lacquer is beautiful, and the utensil is in use."
my country is the first country in the world to create magical lacquerware and lacquer civilization. Archeology has confirmed that the skill of Chinese ancestors to decorate objects with lacquer appeared as early as the Neolithic Age.
Pingyao Tuiguang lacquerware is one of the four famous lacquerwares in my country. "The three treasures of the ancient city of Pingyao are lacquerware, beef, and yam." This saying is well-known in the ancient city of Pingyao in Jinzhong, Shanxi. Lacquerware ranks first among the three treasures of the ancient city.
On January 27, 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping waved to the crowd in the ancient city of Pingyao, Shanxi.
On January 27, 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the ancient city of Pingyao, Shanxi, and inspected the ancient city along the streets and alleys. He walked into a handicraft store that specializes in selling local lacquerware to learn about the protection and development of local cultural heritage.
In this store, a dazzling array of polished lacquerware shines under the light. From daily necessities such as jewelry boxes and cabinets to Chinese furniture such as chests of drawers and screens, the General Secretary looked at each piece carefully. He learned in detail about the production process of push-guang lacquerware and urged the need to "protect cultural treasures such as push-guang lacquerware, and carry forward the traditional cultural industry with national characteristics and promote it to the world."
The "lacquer bow" unearthed from the Kuahuqiao site in Xiaoshan.
The beauty of lacquer originates from nature and brings together the essence of ancient Chinese chemical craftsmanship and traditional aesthetics. Ancient craftsmen paid attention to "a hundred miles, a thousand cuts and one ounce of lacquer", which means walking 100 miles and cutting 1,000 knives on the lacquer tree to get one or two ounces of raw lacquer, which shows how precious it is.
Traditional Pingyao lacquerware uses natural lacquer cut from lacquer trees. The essence of this craft is that the paint drips into the soil and will not rot for thousands of years.
Pingyao lacquerware embodies the exquisite craftsmanship and unique ingenuity passed down from generation to generation by Pingyao craftsmen. Its production is divided into five processes: wooden tire, gray tire, painter, painter, and inlay. Each process has subdivision steps. The whole process has dozens of subdivision steps.
Pingyao lacquerware is famous for its "glossing", which comes from the most important step in its processing process - grinding and polishing with the palm of your hand. Use the delicate skin of the palm of your hand to push and rub repeatedly to remove all the bubble spots scattered on the paint surface until the paint surface is shiny and smooth.
On July 9, 2023, Beijing, China Art Museum of Arts and Crafts·China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, "Shanxi Characteristic Professional Town·Pingyao Intangible Cultural Heritage Double Treasures China Tour" exhibition displays polished lacquerware works.
Pingyao's lacquerware painting technique has strict technical requirements, which creates the exquisite and elegant lacquerware. In 2006, Pingyao's lacquerware painting technique was included in the first list of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects; in 2015, Pingyao Ancient City won the title of "China's Capital of Polished Lacquerware"; in September 2022, Shanxi Province The first batch of ten provincial key professional towns were announced, and lacquerware was promoted to win a place for Pingyao.
The technique of "push light" has been passed down for thousands of years, and it is becoming more and more brilliant today.
In recent years, Pingyao has promoted the formulation and promulgation of a series of normative documents such as the "Pingyao Tuiguang Lacquerware Geographical Certification Trademark", "Pingyao Tuiguang Lacquerware Industry Standards", and "Pingyao Tuiguang Lacquerware Protection Regulations", making every effort to promote the distinctiveness and development of Pingyao Tuiguang Lacquerware industry. Diversified development.
As of mid-August 2023, Pingyao has 160 lacquerware production and operation units, including lacquerware enterprises, master studios, and individual small workshops, with more than 5,600 related employees. The local government has made every effort to create the "national gift" sign of Tuiguang lacquerware, so that the intangible cultural heritage can better serve economic and social development and the people's high-quality life.
In March 2024, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the list of national intangible cultural heritage productive protection demonstration bases for 2023-2025. Three companies in Shanxi Province were on the list. A polished lacquerware company in Pingyao relies on its polished lacquerware painting skills. listed among them.
On May 28, 2023, in Beijing, polished lacquerware craftsmen demonstrated their skills for the envoys to China.
On September 28, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 23rd collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee that the scientific, technological, cultural and artistic achievements of Chinese civilization such as lacquer ware, profound ideological systems and unique institutional creations "have played an important role in the history of world civilization. "These major achievements demonstrate my country's outstanding contributions to the progress of human civilization in its long historical process. They also demonstrate the peaceful character of the Chinese nation that values peace, the inclusive nature of the sea, and the Chinese nation as a big country. tolerance".
In the UK, the well-known best-selling author James Hilton praised the exquisite craftsmanship of Chinese lacquerware and the delicate tones of lacquer painting in his classic work "Lost Horizon". In Belgium, the lacquer painting techniques of Spar lacquerware makers draw on Chinese brass, mother-of-pearl and other inlay techniques, which are full of oriental charm...
In the memory of civilization with the colorful "lacquer" color, the gifts of nature, Chinese traditional culture, Chinese aesthetic philosophy, and Chinese living customs merge with each other and complement each other. This artistic treasure that has been passed down for thousands of years belongs not only to our generation, but also to future generations. It has also prospered the world's civilized gardens with its unique charm.
Proofreading | Sun Jie, Li Shanshan, Liang Yaqin, Lou Hao, Yan Tiantian
