Carving of bamboo, wood, ivory, and horns Precision

Author: Li Jiufang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: The Chinese have long utilized naturally grown bamboo, wood, and animal bones, teeth, and horns to create production tools, daily necessities, and decorative items for beautifying life. Through continuous innovation in manufacturing techniques during long-term production practices, a diverse and culturally distinctive art form has gradually emerged. As early as the Paleolithic era, the people living in the Zhoukoudian area of Beijing crafted bone pendants and necklaces from animal bones, demonstrating early humans' pursuit of beauty. After the Neolithic era, the production and use of bamboo, wood, bone, tooth, and horn artifacts developed more comprehensively. In the Yuhudao primitive society site in Zhejiang, dating back six or seven thousand years, artifacts such as wood-carved cylinders, ivory-embellished plaque decorations, and ivory-carved bird-shaped knives were unearthed. Among these, the ivory-carved bird-shaped knife features a bird-shaped handle and a long tail as a spoon, combining beauty and practicality with exceptionally vivid form. In the Dawenkou primitive society site in Shandong, dating back to 4,800 to 5,000 years ago, an ivory comb was unearthed, standing nine teeth vertically with a comb handle adorned with intricately carved double "S"-shaped patterns, inlaid with green turquoise. The craftsmanship reached a high level. With societal progress and improved productivity, especially the advent of metal tools, a new realm was opened for the development of bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving. In 1979, three towering ivory cups with exquisite patterns were unearthed from the Fu Hao tomb in the Yin Ruins of Anyang, Henan. The cups featured incised Yunlei patterns as the background, with raised beast and bird motifs. The lines were clear and delicate. One side of the cup was fitted with a handle shaped like a Qilong or owl, secured by mortise and tenon joints, giving the cup an exceptionally dignified and luxurious appearance. This reflects the new developments and achievements in bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving after the introduction of metal tools.
Due to the organic nature of bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn, they are easily eroded by harmful substances in nature and susceptible to human damage, making preservation extremely difficult. As a result, few works have survived to this day. However, the limited artifacts that remain fully demonstrate the glorious achievements of Chinese bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving art at that time.
The Ming and Qing dynasties ruled China for nearly five and a half centuries. During this period, bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving art not only inherited historical traditions but also experienced a leap forward. The variety and quantity of works increased, and many scholars, calligraphers, and painters participated in creating bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn artifacts. This shifted the focus from technical skill to the pursuit of calligraphic and artistic effects, elevating the artistic status of these craftworks and completely dispelling the societal bias of viewing bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving as mere "tricks" or "childish skills." This change in perspective further promoted the development of bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving, giving rise to distinct styles and schools, as well as a host of renowned carvers whose works gained fame both domestically and internationally.
The Palace Museum houses thousands of bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carvings, primarily sourced from three categories: first, imperial workshops during the Ming and Qing dynasties conscripted famous craftsmen to produce royal items according to the emperor's specifications; second, officials from various regions annually presented tribute items to the emperor, many of which were crafted by renowned masters; and third, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, many bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carvings scattered among the populace were collected through various channels into the Palace Museum, including numerous masterpieces.
This volume selects 248 representative works, divided into three major categories: bamboo and wood, tooth and horn, and Baobaoqian (multi-material inlay). Organized chronologically, it aims to comprehensively reflect the achievements of bamboo, wood, tooth, and horn carving art during the Ming and Qing dynasties and showcase the rich collection of the imperial household.