Arts and Leisure Selections

Author: Zhou Jili
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Nuclear carving, tin pot, hand warmer, incense cricket tank, ink box, paper, old edition books. For those who enjoy collecting antiques, do you like these items? Due to the scarcity of such historical artifacts, specialized books on this topic are rarely seen, if not completely absent. If you are genuinely interested in such antiques and are struggling to find a source for their knowledge, this book is exactly what you need.
During the Kangxi era (1662–1722), there were three Feng brothers, all skilled in bamboo carving, who were renowned as the "Three Pillars of Bamboo Carving." Feng Xingju, known as Jinhou, was the eldest, Feng Xinglu, known as Yihou, was the second, and Feng Xingzhang, known as Hanhou, was the youngest. Among them, Feng Xinglu was the most outstanding. In the 24th year of the Kangxi reign (1685), the second and third brothers went to the capital to practice their craft. Feng Xinglu was not only the best at bamboo carving but also excelled in nuclear carving.
The Zhu Ren Lu records the following: "He was also skilled in carving peach pits into boats. The boat was no larger than two fingernails, with three people seated inside, wearing robes and having beards. The one sitting and leaning out the window was Su Dongpo, while the one in Zen robes sitting opposite him and looking down at the table was Fo Yin. A young man sitting at the side, playing the dizi flute, was the accompanying guest. The boat had four windows on both sides, each with latches to open and close. At the front of the boat, two people sat—one an old man with a bald head and a square face, and on both sides were wine utensils. At the back of the boat, a person held a fan and brewed tea, with a tea stove, a hole in its belly, and a teapot on top, still with a handle. The bottom of the boat was carved with the words 'Let one reed lead where it will, ride over the boundless ocean,' in two lines of fine characters. He also carved 'Dream at the Grass Bridge' on an olive pit, with buildings and figures positioned naturally, interspersed with sparse willows hiding crows, thatched doors with dogs lying down, and realistic depictions of cool night scenes. The craftsmanship was so fantastical that it transcended the ordinary."
In the Zhu Ren Lu, Jin Yuanyu also recorded a woman named Wu, whose last name was not left on page P4, who was the wife of the renowned bamboo carver Zhao Xuehai. She could carve bamboo and wood, particularly excelling in nuclear carving, with skills comparable to Feng Xinglu. Another nuclear carving master during the Kangxi era, known as the "Old Jin," whose name has also been lost, was from Suzhou. He could carve a boat of Su Dongpo's journey from peach pits, with four square cabins around the boat, each having two carved, hinged windows. Inside the boat, there was a table and three chairs, with Su Dongpo and Fo Yin sitting across from each other playing cards, and 32 carved cards on the table. A young man sat playing the dizi flute, while at the front of the boat, a child was carving a fire to brew tea. At the back, an old man stood slanting and rowing, with all the details meticulously crafted and exquisitely precise.
The contemporary Song Lü once owned a nuclear boat, but when the windows broke, no one could repair it. In the spring of the 37th year of the Kangxi reign (1698), he heard that the Old Jin was exceptionally skilled and invited him to repair the boat. Upon seeing it, the Old Jin smiled and said, "This boat was carved by me in the past." Naturally, he fixed it effortlessly. When asked why so few people could carve nuclear carvings, he replied, "Carving requires a calm spirit and focused mind. Most people cannot keep their minds calm, even if they do, their focus is not complete." He said he had four sons, only the third could slightly master the technique, but his carvings were not yet refined.
The story of the Old Jin's nuclear carving was recorded by the Qing Dynasty scholar Ni Lin in his works.