Yang Zhengyu, a "post-00s" girl from Qihe, inherits the ancient enamel process - the beauty of intangible cultural heritage is pinched out by her fingertips
Yang Zhengyu makes cloisonné
Born to the Sun
The Morris Pattern
□ text/photo: Li Xiaonan, reporter of this newspaper, Zhang Xinxin, correspondent of this newspaper
"Cloisonné enamel first originated in the Yuan Dynasty, and the development of Jingtai in the Ming Dynasty was the most prosperous, because the color tone is mainly blue, so it is called cloisonne ......" Recently, Yang Zhengyu, the fifth-generation inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage "Sima's cloisonne handicraft", introduced cloisonne works to netizens in the live broadcast room.
Recalling his first encounter with cloisonné, 24-year-old Yang Zhengyu was full of emotion. When she was in high school, she liked to draw and came into contact with cloisonné by chance, and she was instantly attracted by the delicate lines, brilliant colors and the profound cultural heritage behind it. She bought a kit and tried her hand at making cloisonné bookmarks. "Although the first production was rusty, I was very satisfied with the sense of accomplishment of watching the copper wires slowly turn into a complete work." Yang Zhengyu said. Since then, she has used her spare time to learn cloisonné handicraft making skills.
What really made her embark on the road of inheritance was the encounter with Sima Xianguang, the fourth-generation intangible cultural heritage inheritor of "Sima's cloisonne handicraft". At the age of 17, Yang Zhengyu met Sima Xianguang during an art major training in Beijing, and showed him his works, although not perfect, her talent and dedication to cloisonné were appreciated by Sima Xianguang. Under his guidance, Yang Zhengyu began to systematically learn this ancient skill. After graduating from high school, she was admitted to the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, and throughout her college years, she continued to travel back and forth between the school and Sima Xianguang's studio, learning and understanding the essence of cloisonné craftsmanship more deeply.
Making cloisonné requires a great deal of patience and care, and every line is outlined, and every color is filled, all of which require full attention. Sometimes, in order to complete a work, it is necessary to maintain the same position for more than ten hours in a row, keeping your eyes firmly fixed on the silk threads and paints in your hands. It is this pursuit of perfection that makes Yang Zhengyu's skills more and more exquisite.
In her sophomore year, she founded the "Qingjin Pavilion" cloisonné enamel studio, participated in the China National Arts and Crafts Yearbook Competition, Shanxi Province Cultural and Creative Design Competition and other activities, won a number of certificates, and gradually emerged. After graduating from university, he officially worshipped Sima Xianguang as his teacher and made a commitment to inherit intangible cultural heritage.
With her love for cloisonné and the mission of inheritance, in 2023, she will return to her hometown Qihe and become a teacher at Qihe Vocational Secondary School.
"Inheritance is not only about copying the past, but also about innovating on the basis of tradition, so that ancient skills can be adapted to the needs of modern society." Yang Zhengyu said. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, cloisonné as the exclusive utensils of the royal family, the production skills are divided into drafts, filigree, point blue, firing, grinding and polishing, cooling and forming and other steps, now the firing and polishing are omitted, and the filigree, point blue and other processes are made more delicate and delicate.
Yang Zhengyu wants to integrate the elements of his hometown into his works, so that the former royal handicrafts can enter the homes of ordinary people. After a period of investigation and design, she integrated elements such as the Yellow River and Dezhou's black pottery, historical figures, and landmark buildings into her works, creating cultural and creative products in the form of cloisonné utensils and decorative paintings, which are not only works of art, but also a kind of publicity and promotion of Dezhou culture.
Today, Yang Zhengyu has opened a cloisonné enamel club in the school, teaching students how to filigree and color by hand, so that they can feel the charm of this skill. She hopes that more people can understand and learn the art of cloisonné enamel, so that this ancient art can be rejuvenated and revitalized in the new era.