Porcelain carver passes on intangible culture

In Chengwu county of Heze city in East China's Shandong province, Chu Chengwen, a porcelain carving inheritor, started another busy day of creating new art pieces and passing on his knowledge.

With his skilled hands and a carving knife, normal porcelain is transformed into artful depictions of the four noble plants: plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.

Porcelain carving is an intangible cultural heritage that combines painting, calligraphy and carving. The knife techniques highlight the artistic conception of calligraphy and painting, and the dyeing makes the porcelain exude a lasting charm.

Bold and powerful, yet still delicate and elegant, Chu's finished pieces reveal his artistic sentiment and charm.

Chu has loved painting and calligraphy since he was a child. In his 40-year career as an artist, he has tirelessly pursued the art of porcelain carving. He has taken the essence of traditional porcelain carving and ingeniously combined it with his own bold and concise carving style.

His works, such as the Red Classic Culture Series, Confucian Culture Series, Peony Culture Series and Bole Collection Culture, have won numerous awards in domestic and international exhibitions. They have also enhanced the influence of this excellent traditional culture.

Currently, over 300 apprentices have trained under Chu, and they have now spread across the country, keen on passing on this intangible cultural heritage, while also inspiring the cultural confidence of the people in the new era. (Edited by Xue Xinyi)

[Video by Li Peilei for chinadaily.com.cn]