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Bronze engraver honed skills on Mao badges
By Yu Junli and Wang Jie |
June 28, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IN a small garret by Changxing Building at Nanxiang Old Street, 72-year-old Xu Rongwei is working hard on recreating a Nanxiang steamed bun in miniature.
Talking about the handicraft of bronze engraving, Master Xu is filled with pride.
"My creations such as the Nanxiang Twin Towers, the Nanxiang Steamed Bun and the Ping'an Scales are warmly welcomed by my customers, especially those from South Korea and Japan. They always raise their thumbs in praise of my works."
Having mastered the skill to make moulds at a young age, Xu was later employed to work in Shanghai Plastic Mould Factory. At that time, the most interesting thing for him to do was creating pieces with leftover bronze in his spare time.
Impressed by his dexterity, Hefei Wristwatch Factory invited him to work there on the watch with the famous brand Gem Flower.
In the early 1980s, he developed his affection for making badges of Chairman Mao Zedong. Thanks to his careful designs, delicate polishing and repeated modification, a true-to-life mould for making badges of Mao was created, which won him admiration and praise from all his fellow workers. He still keeps this valuable mould at home.
Now retired, Xu doesn't want to give up his rare skill, and rented this small garret to continue his hobby.
"It is not for making money, but to fulfill my love for bronze engraving. Few people have mastered this skill, but many people love the works. I'm doing it merely as a hobby, and a way to keep myself young," he told us.
Standing in this garret is a worktable filled with all kinds of traditional tools for bronze engraving, such as files, chisels and measuring tools. The pieces he creates are usually small in size, but exquisite in craftsmanship.
Take the Nanxiang steamed bun, for example. Small as a peanut, the bun looks good enough to eat and is smooth to the touch. Each bun should have 14-16 folds on its top, which really calls for skill and great care. It usually takes Xu two whole days to complete a steamer of them. For Xu, however, it is a time of happiness and satisfaction from creation.
On top of his worktable is a piece of paper. Already yellowish, it carries four Chinese characters reading: "Apprentice wanted."
"I'm getting old," Xu said sadly. "I do hope some young people would come and learn this skill so that this set of tools can be inherited." The paper has been there for nearly six months. He's still waiting to pass on his skills.
Talking about the handicraft of bronze engraving, Master Xu is filled with pride.
"My creations such as the Nanxiang Twin Towers, the Nanxiang Steamed Bun and the Ping'an Scales are warmly welcomed by my customers, especially those from South Korea and Japan. They always raise their thumbs in praise of my works."
Having mastered the skill to make moulds at a young age, Xu was later employed to work in Shanghai Plastic Mould Factory. At that time, the most interesting thing for him to do was creating pieces with leftover bronze in his spare time.
Impressed by his dexterity, Hefei Wristwatch Factory invited him to work there on the watch with the famous brand Gem Flower.
In the early 1980s, he developed his affection for making badges of Chairman Mao Zedong. Thanks to his careful designs, delicate polishing and repeated modification, a true-to-life mould for making badges of Mao was created, which won him admiration and praise from all his fellow workers. He still keeps this valuable mould at home.
Now retired, Xu doesn't want to give up his rare skill, and rented this small garret to continue his hobby.
"It is not for making money, but to fulfill my love for bronze engraving. Few people have mastered this skill, but many people love the works. I'm doing it merely as a hobby, and a way to keep myself young," he told us.
Standing in this garret is a worktable filled with all kinds of traditional tools for bronze engraving, such as files, chisels and measuring tools. The pieces he creates are usually small in size, but exquisite in craftsmanship.
Take the Nanxiang steamed bun, for example. Small as a peanut, the bun looks good enough to eat and is smooth to the touch. Each bun should have 14-16 folds on its top, which really calls for skill and great care. It usually takes Xu two whole days to complete a steamer of them. For Xu, however, it is a time of happiness and satisfaction from creation.
On top of his worktable is a piece of paper. Already yellowish, it carries four Chinese characters reading: "Apprentice wanted."
"I'm getting old," Xu said sadly. "I do hope some young people would come and learn this skill so that this set of tools can be inherited." The paper has been there for nearly six months. He's still waiting to pass on his skills.
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