Etching a new path for Jiang'an bamboo carving

The air is thick with the smell of bamboo. In his workshop, He Huayi runs his carving knife across a slice of bamboo as if it were a paintbrush. Mountains, rivers and figures gradually emerge from the pale-yellow surface.

He, 79, has dedicated his entire career to the art of Jiang'an bamboo carving, a national intangible cultural heritage that has been passed down for nearly five centuries in Jiang'an county, Yibin, Sichuan province.

What makes the art form unique is the material used — the inner wall of moso bamboo, just 1 to 2 millimeters thick. This delicate layer is peeled off and mounted onto other bamboo or wood surfaces, either in a single layer or stacked in multiple layers, before being carved with landscapes, figures, flowers and birds.

The finished pieces are pure, smooth, and lustrous, with a creamy ivory-like tone. Hence the name: "bamboo ivory".

A national-level inheritor of this craft, He was born and raised in bamboo-rich Jiang'an. He took on a variety of work in his youth, including hauling coal, performing Sichuan Opera, weaving bamboo, building roads, and painting posters.

Despite having only a primary school education, his childhood love for fine arts never faded, and he seized every opportunity to improve his skills. In 1974, He joined a local bamboo craft factory, where he learned bamboo carving from several masters. From then on, the craft became his lifelong pursuit.

Creating a bamboo carving piece involves multiple steps, including selecting and cutting the bamboo, obtaining the inner wall, painting patterns, carving, polishing and lacquering the finished product.

"Prime raw material comes from four- to five-year-old bamboo, harvested in winter when the plant has fewer nutrients and less chance of insect damage," He said.

Once the bamboo is sawn into segments, they are boiled in a pot with salt, Sichuan pepper and medicinal herbs to prevent pests and mold. After drying, the outer skin and flesh are removed, leaving only the thin, resilient inner wall.

The most critical step — carving — is an extremely delicate task requiring sharp eyesight, superb skill, and above all, long hours of absolute concentration.

When He created his representative work, Ode to the Yangtze River, he spent more than 400 days on it. He took no breaks on weekends and holidays, working every waking moment except for meals and sleep.

This cylindrical piece, measuring 39.5 centimeters in height and 22 cm in diameter, is a three-dimensional panorama of China's longest waterway.

On such a small surface, he carved towering mountains, cascading waterfalls, pines and cypress trees, plank roads, pavilions, sailboats and rafts. The human figures are only half the size of a grain of rice, yet each has its own vivid posture and expression.

The work was exhibited at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo as a representative piece of Chinese arts and crafts, as well as intangible cultural heritage.

What sets He apart from other craftsmen is his tools. While most bamboo carvers use 20 or 30 types of knives, He has over 100, all made by his own hands, and regularly employs over 10 different carving techniques on his pieces.

"A skilled craftsman must know how to forge his own knives," He said.

"For high-precision carving, some tools simply aren't available on the market."

An outstanding carving piece, He said, also requires what he calls "skill beyond the knife" — a certain level of cultural literacy, a solid foundation in calligraphy and painting, and a keen eye for beauty. "A true master creates his own," he said. "If you spend your whole life copying others, you're just a mere imitator."

Over the past decades, mass-produced industrial goods have replaced most everyday bamboo products in China. But instead of declining, Jiang'an bamboo carving has gained more attention, as consumers increasingly seek natural, eco-friendly products and show greater interest in intangible cultural heritage.

"Handmade crafts carry a human touch and the spirit of their time. That gives them a unique, artistic and collectible value," He said.

Despite his advanced age, He still works long hours daily.

"The happiest thing in life is when what you love is what you do for a living," he said. "That's why I never feel tired. Instead, I worry that time passes too quickly."

Contact the writers at pengchao@chinadaily.com.cn