Creativity is an idea with roots for one craftsman
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TANG Daohua has a passion for tree roots. He collects, carves and sometimes even talks to the gnarled pieces of wood in his farmhouse in Maogang Town.
The 59-year-old former farmer, gardener and carpenter said the only thing that hasn’t changed in his life in the past two decades is his passion for the ancient craft of turning tree roots into artistic creations.
“I have a special affinity for trees,” Tang said. “I feel at home when I’m with their roots.”
Born in the remote countryside of Songjiang District, Tang grew among forests and streams. The picturesque scenery and idyllic life of his childhood sowed the seeds of his artwork and inspired his imagination.
Stepping into his house today is like entering a world of wood. Inside are more than 100 root carvings of animals, figures and ships, furniture, folk baskets, bamboo shelves and wooden sculptures. His home is a mini-museum.
Tang fell in love with the art of root sculpture about 20 years ago, when one of his friends bought a carving and showed it to him.
“It was love at first sight,” Tang recalled.
Without any formal training, Tang had to teach himself how to sculpt roots. He bought three books on root carving and a set of carving knives.
“I started out by imitating other pieces,” he said. “When I became more skilled, I began creating my own carvings. It’s not as difficult as you might think. For example, when I’m carving a hand, I use my own hand as a model.”
Tang’s root art is intricate in detail, yet his simple cuts follow the natural grain of the wood. The nodes, texture, lumps and bumps of the root are incorporated into the finished work.
It normally takes him several months to complete a piece, though some of his works have taken him years.
When Tang gets a root, he first removes the dirt and soaks it for months. Then it is dried and cooled. After that, he strips the bark and then returns the root to shade for more drying.
When the root is ready for carving, there comes the most brain-racking moment.
“I observe the root and think what to do with it in an artistic way,” Tang said of a process that can take seconds, months or years. “If my mind is a complete blank, I put the root aside. I believe inspiration will eventually come.”
He has a root that has been in water for two years, but so far he hasn’t decided what to carve. Those with wild, messy and disorderly shapes are the best because they throw up different possibilities.
There is no limit on his imagination. He may be inspired by the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac or by historical events or by everyday items around his house.
The carving requires acute eyesight for the most intricate cuts.
“Any slight mistake can destroy a whole work,” he said.
Once a piece is carved, polishing begins. That, too, requires skill.
“To polish a tiny ball between the lips of a dragon might take me several days,” he said.
To find candidates for carving, Tang scours construction sites, riverbanks and forests where dead trees are most commonly found. He prefers hardwoods such as laurel, camphor and holly.
“What may look like trash and debris to some can be treasures to me,” he said, admitting that it has been harder in recent years to find good roots.
His favorite artwork is the “Dragon and Phoenix,” which he carved from a root found in a rice paddy. The bodies of his dragon and phoenix follow the undulating, gnarled main root.
Another piece, “Tree Gods,” is about 40 centimeters high. Tang carved four gods’ faces in delicate detail, keeping the root’s natural shape.
Currently Tang is working on a carving a piece based on bird flocks, which he started last year.
“You just don’t know when inspiration will come,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t work for days, and sometimes I work for hours, late into the night. Creativity is something that you can’t rush.”
Tang doesn’t sell his carvings. He makes presents of them to neighbors, friends or even strangers who come to see his work.
Last month he carved a goat as a birthday gift for a baby girl in the village. These days, his grandson is asking for a carving of an eagle.
“He’s been pestering me for some time,” Tang said, with a smile. “The eagle is almost done now.”
He once thought of holding an exhibition to display his artworks, but he really wasn’t excited enough to follow it through. “I carve for fun, not for money,” he said. “I’m happy when people see my works and like them. Everyone is welcome to visit my house to see my carvings.”
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