Part 1b – Collection of Golden Varnished Woodcarvings 馆藏金漆木雕展

Since the 1990s, Shenzhen Museum has been spending efforts in researching the dominant folk cultures of Shenzhen and neighbouring regions, and accumulating folk cultural relics. Among those collected was an exemplary collection of golden varnished woodcarvings 金漆木雕 from Qing Dynasty 清朝 (1636-1912) and Nationalist 民国 (1912-1949) periods

Practical Uses of Woodcarvings

Two main styles were collected – Teochew woodcarvings and Hakka woodcarvings. Teochew (also known as Chaozhou 潮州) woodcarving is renowned around the world and is used for decorations for architecture, artefact, furniture, etc. 

Teochew woodcarvings are very elaborate and complex. Hakka woodcarvings absorbed the crafts of Teochew style while retaining its concise and vivid style.

Teochew woodcarvings are often used as building decorations, especially on joints, beams and roof awning. Typical designs include dragons, tigers, lions and other auspicious animals carved in a vivid representation as if they are protecting or cycling the beams.

Building decorations include 牌匾狮、进屏、屐头、雀替、斗拱、檐板、檐角、柱头、梁枋、门楣、隔扇、屏风、门饰、窗格、栏杆以及横载的雕饰

A major purpose of Teochew woodcarving was for religious worship. Many themes and finished products were deity figures, altar decorations, etc. Some of the finest examples can be found at Green Dragon Temple 青龍古廟 in Chaozhou.

This beautiful hexagonal food box 饌盒 is used for deity and ancestral worship. Food like fruits or pastries are placed on the plate that is encased in the painted box, which is revealed and placed on top of the case before placing in front of the altar.

Altar decorations include altar cabinet (kamidana in Japanese) 神龛, worship tablets 神椟, altar decorations 神龛围屏, decorative lions 屏头狮, wooden vase 龛前瓶花, deity carriage 神轿, deity pavilion 神亭, offering table 供台, altar table 祭桌, incense pavilion 香亭, incense holder 香架, candle holder 烛台, incense container 香插筒, tea holder 茶担, sugar sculpture holder 糖枋架, pastry holder 饼架, incense lions 香炉狮, incense burner cover 宣(香)炉罩, offering holder 馔盒, fruit plates 果碟. offering table 三牲贡台, drum holders 鼓架, etc

Development of Teochew Woodcarvings

Teochew woodcarvings started in Tang Dynasty, with the earliest piece of artefact from that period discovered in Chaozhou Kaiyuan Temple 開元寺. A wooden temple block from Kaiyuan period (713-741) was found among the relics of the temple. Today, when you visit the temple, you can still see examples of woodcarvings from Tang and Song dynasty.

During Ming Dynasty, there were many constructions, in particular places of worships. This propelled the demand for Teochew woodcarvings. By Qing Dynasty, it became a luxury decorative sought after but the Chinese diaspora. The prosperous foreign trade in the reign of emperor Qianlong of Qing dynasty made great contribution to the development of the Teochew woodcarving.

In particular, a number of overseas Chinese returned home to build luxurious ancestral halls and houses, the most distinguished and wealthy ones were in pursuit of splendid and magnificent Teochew woodcarvings that would adorn their hallways and rooms.

Techniques in Teochew Woodcarving

Teochew woodcarving integrates various woodwork techniques such as carving, lacquering, gold painting and gilding.

The production process is divided into nine steps: preparing the whole material 整料, sketching 起草图, adding the sketch 上草图, chiseling the rough blank 凿粗坯, fine carving 细雕刻, filling 填料, lacquering 上漆, gold painting 上金胶漆 and gilding 贴金. A splendid woodcarving work is a great test for the skill and patience of the woodcarving artist.

Teochew woodcarving is rich in subjects ranging from flowers, birds, insects, fish, fruits of the four seasons, rivers and seas, rare birds and animals, to folk myths and legends, and stories of ancient operas.

Bats are representative of good luck and are often used as a motif for woodcarving. This particular example from the Qing Dynasty was a very elegant piece of work with hundred of gilded bats circling the main one in the middle floating on a sky of clouds. The gold gilded bats and red lacquer clouds contrasted with one another to give the screen a three-dimensional effect.

The effect of gold gilding is brilliant. It contains rich Lingnan flavor and rich decorative themes. With complicated but not chaotic, exquisite and unique carving techniques, it often arranges complex story plots through the front and back of the artistic pieces.