Tin carving

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Tin carving

Applicant: Laiwu City, Shandong Province

Item No.: 838

Project No.: Ⅶ - 62

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Shandong Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Laiwu City, Shandong Province

Protected by: Jinan Cultural Center (Jinan Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center)

Introduction to tin carving:

Applicant: Laiwu City, Shandong Province

Tin carving, also known as "Tin Art" and "tin ware", is a kind of traditional Tin Art widely popular among Chinese people. The traditional tin making process has a long history. The tin blocks, tin plated tiger faced copper helmets, Xige unearthed from Yin Ruins in Henan Province and the tin wares unearthed from Wanjiaba tombs in Chuxiong, Yunnan Province in the middle of spring and Autumn period contain 99.15% tin, which shows that the tin making process in China was quite mature as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Tin has the advantages of non-toxic, non rust, moisture-proof, acid and alkali resistance, soft texture, low melting point, easy processing, so tin art has always been closely linked with people's daily life. Since the Song Dynasty, the use of tin ware is very common, tin tea pot, tin "Tang Po Zi" and a number of daily utensils are widely popular among the people, so tin work has become a popular business. Traditional tin is mainly used to make daily necessities, but also some sacrificial articles. Tin making process has its own system, mainly including melting, casting, molding, cutting, scraping, welding, polishing, decoration, carving and other processes and techniques. The shape of utensils is constructed according to practical functions. The finished tin ware has rich modeling, exquisite decoration and exquisite workmanship, which fully reflects the ingenuity of the designer.

Laiwu tin carving is a traditional tin carving art popular in Laiwu area of Shandong Province. It reached its peak in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty with no less than 1000 practitioners. In the early days, most of the tin products were daily utensils. Later, they were regarded as imperial tributes, and gradually developed some tin carving works with high ornamental value. Wang's Tin carving, founded by Wang Shixing, is a prominent representative of Laiwu's Tin Art and has been handed down for eight generations. In the long-term development process, successive generations have made great efforts to innovate, improve production tools, improve processing skills, develop varieties and styles, and continuously improve Laiwu Tin Art. There are many kinds of tin carving techniques in Laiwu, including relief carving, round carving, line carving, concave carving, inlay and other production methods, as well as forging, chiseling, molding, carving, welding and other processing techniques. It can produce many kinds of tin ware, such as ritual vessels, wine sets, tea sets, stationery utensils, art ornaments and so on. Laiwu tin carving is exquisite in shape, elegant in decoration and exquisite in craftsmanship. It maintains the excellent tradition of tin craft and shows distinct regional characteristics.

Yongkang Tin Art, commonly known as "Pewter making", is a traditional tin art popular in Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province. Yongkang tin art has a long history and has been handed down from generation to generation. Until the period of the Republic of China, tin ware making was still an important local handicraft industry, with more than 1000 practitioners and more than 100 kinds of products. Yongkang's tin products mainly include wine pots, soup pots, powder boxes, fruit boxes and other daily necessities, as well as a complete set of dowry used in marriage, as well as sacrificial offerings such as imitation censers, candlesticks, eight immortals, weapons of honor, props and various auspicious tin bonsai. Yongkang tin products generally need to go through forming, filing, grinding, drilling, welding, planing and other processes, and exquisite products need to be carved and cast in advance. The finished product has fine workmanship, bright texture, antique, obvious regional style, strong practicability and ornamental.

Chinese PinYin : Xi Diao