Explore "slow life" in traditional crafts
【Student Talk】
Chinese traditional craft design pays attention to "beauty material", "craftsmanship" and "elegance". The ancients have been tirelessly pursuing the shape, texture and color of the utensils. A utensil can be so simple that it is natural and unobtrusive, or it can be complicated and exquisite to the limit. "In the past, everything was very slow." Therefore, whether it is Tianhuang nobles or the people of the Li people, there may be a few satisfactory handicrafts at home to embellish their "slow life", and at the same time, they can also be used to observe and learn from each other. Tasting.
In today's rapid economic development, those traditional craft furniture and utensils that are closely related to life and have temperature, in addition to some preserved palaces, mansions, and ancient houses, are still being passed on by artists who are keen on traditional craft design. .
The furniture, utensils, and elegant play are not only rich in traditional Chinese craftsmanship with a long history and continuous innovation, but also reflect the pious attitude of the Chinese people towards a better life.
In traditional Chinese houses, the main room is an important place for family living and meeting guests and friends, and it is also the most "lively" place in the house. From the end of Ming Dynasty to the beginning of Qing Dynasty, the furniture in the halls should be arranged symmetrically along the central axis, showing a sense of order and solemnity. The table, the Eight Immortals table, the chair of the Grand Master, the screen... The furniture styles are either honest and steady, carved with dragons and phoenixes, or simple and generous, bright and clean. Furniture craftsmen sometimes combine the two to find a balance between different styles. Using bas-relief with a plain base, copper-covered corners, or lacquer, inlay and other techniques, create elegant thrones, armchairs, flat-headed tables, etc., and then put several sets of celestial sphere bottles and plum bottles on the desk, on the columns and walls On the hanging couplets, calligraphy and painting, a few bright colors appear in a heavy color, and the beauty and interest emerge spontaneously. The various furnishings in the hall are generally carefully selected and arranged. They reflect the family's education, concepts, circumstances, and attitudes to the world.
Compared with the orderly style of the main hall, the study room in a traditional Chinese house is a different view. It is a quiet place for writing, reading, playing games, burning incense, playing the piano, and tasting literary play. It is also a "valley" for cultivating temperament and cultivate the body and mind. The traditional study is a space for literati's self-entertainment with both practicality and sense of ceremony. The modern study is also an extension of the office at home. Some classic cultural items, such as the Four Treasures of the Study, are still important items in the study so far. Although the shapes of their related furnishings are simple, their selection of materials is extremely picky. The most typical of the traditional study supplies is the pen holder. Bamboo carvings, stone carvings, wooden or lacquer paintings abound. Due to the appropriate size, various craftsmanships can be used to display space, from thin to multi-layer carvings , From hollow to painted, everything. Images and text are intertwined, and the themes are also ever-changing, such as plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, or historical allusions. The pen holder can be said to be an indispensable literary instrument. Literati’s study houses often set up Bogu racks for storing elegant play objects with strong cultural connotation and historical value, such as ruyi, auspicious beasts, evil spirits, incense pots... these objects may have a certain degree of practicality, or purely enjoy the value, but They all carry the master's spiritual sustenance and good wishes. Imagine that in a quiet afternoon, burning incense and practicing Chinese characters, making a pot of good tea when you are tired, playing with the beloved objects on the shelf, or taking a volume of idle books from the shelf to read, is it not the most pleasant enjoyment.
The bedroom has a strong privacy. In such a space, the ancients would often choose exquisite objects and arrange them carefully to create the best resting environment. The furniture placed in the bedroom has both furnishings and storage, including shelf grids, bright grid cabinets, noodle cabinets and so on. Among them, the noodle cabinet is a classic Ming-style furniture. The craftsmanship design is very elegant. The door of the open cabinet will automatically close when you let go, and it can also prevent mosquitoes from entering the cabinet. The exquisite noodle cabinet is painted with large lacquer, or inlaid with various jade and agate on the panel to make colorful patterns. Traditional bedrooms generally have little space and emphasize comfort and warmth, with the female boudoir as the most. Typical boudoir objects such as chaise couches, drum stools, piano tables, and makeup are more exquisite and beautiful than ordinary furniture, and they are usually more dexterous and delicate in design. In this space, makeup is undoubtedly a "treasure box" for storing all kinds of exquisite accessories, as well as a "heavy tool" for gathering various traditional crafts. A small piece of make-up may be the painstaking work of a skilled craftsman for a while, using pure gold filigree as thin as a hair, or inlaid with snails the size of rice grains, and there are countless types of decorations on it.
I have been in the house for a long time, so I naturally want to go outside to get some fresh air. The garden is an important part of the traditional house. Affected by painting, poetry and literature, even a courtyard with a relatively compact space seeks to create a strong cultural atmosphere to achieve a serene artistic conception with winding paths. "Scenes is ruthless, and emotions do not produce." A corner was created in the front and back of the court room, imitating natural landscapes, small in small sees big, virtual in reality, forest and stone cover, in this extremely freehand way, the ancients took The completely opposite factors are organically interspersed in a small space. The gardens are impressive and can be visited. Naturally, the scattered scenery is indispensable. Traditional craftsmanship also has a huge space here. The giants are like pavilions, bridges and paintings, and the fine ones are like piano seats, chess tables, tea sets, wine vessels, aromatherapy, etc. According to the ideals of the owner, it is scattered everywhere, dense and dense, and set up as a boundary. There is another characteristic of the utensils in the garden, which are often changed with the changes of the seasons. In the midsummer season, bamboo couches and fans may be placed in the pavilion to escape the heat. In winter, there may be hand warmers, wine warmers and other utensils. The types of crafts are even more colorful.
In short, each piece of traditional handmade artwork is unique and has its own story. They are an important element of the traditional lifestyle, bringing endless fun and beautiful enjoyment to life, reflecting the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. . In the fast-paced modern life, you might as well build your own "Chinese-style house" in your heart, hide elegant objects in it, and leave a leisurely habitat for yourself on the road in a hurry.