The so-called half-knife clay is actually a ceramic engraving technique. To put it bluntly, it is a deep and shallow carving knife method, which was originally developed on the basis of inheriting the carving and decoration technology of the Song Dynasty in Jingdezhen.

The pattern decoration is concise and bright, and the techniques are mainly printed, carved and stacked. Among them, the carved pattern of the half-knife method, each line has a change in depth, between virtual and real, so that the pattern has a convex feeling.

The knife technique is agile and jumpy, unrestrained and chic, light and hearty like flowing water, which can be described as a ghostly workmanship. Its ice-like artistic effect became the mainstream of ceramic decoration at that time.

Mao Zhengcong put down the vegetarian tire, handed over the rest of the work to the apprentices, washed his hands, took Su Yuan to the living room, and sat down to chat. Since I have seen the other party's amazing blank drawing technology, I have regarded him as a fellow practitioner, and I hope to communicate more.

took out a set of tea sets from the cabinet and displayed: "This is the shadow celadon, which is the pinnacle of Mao." ”

Su Yuan picked up a teacup and kept turning it under the lamp, instantly shining and shining, as if the waves were rippling and warm as water.

"The so-called shadow blue, the porcelain is as white as jade, the glaze is shiny, the tire is thin and transparent, and the carved patterns are smooth and vivid, delicate and delicate. Under the reflection of the light, it is bright and elegant, exquisite and clear, giving people a pleasing beauty. ”

It is the most representative work of half-knife clay, the combination of fresh and elegant green glaze and half-knife clay, clear as jade, fine carving, applied to the four treasures of the study, kung fu tea set, more can reflect the ambition of the literati. ”

Mao Zhengcong said: "If the quality of the pure tire is used as the standard to measure the level of craftsmanship, Yingqing is the second, and the traditional famous porcelain has a kind of exquisite porcelain, which is as thin as cicada wings, light as floating clouds, finely crafted, and can be called a masterpiece!"

Seeing Su Yuan smile without saying a word, he continued to explain: "Linglong billet is the most difficult, especially in the final stage, it can really be said that the victory or defeat is a sudden, success or failure is determined by one knife and one breath, one less knife is too thick, and one more knife is a broken device, even a big breath may lead to the loss of previous efforts." ”

"If you don't have skill, you can't win without the belief that you will win, you don't have tenacious perseverance, you don't have a meticulous spirit, and you don't have a good psychological quality, you can't achieve the crucial final victory. ”

After speaking, he shook his head and said helplessly: "It's a pity that it has been lost for a long time, otherwise it would ......"

Su Yuan nodded, in his opinion, the biggest difficulty in the inheritance of craftsmanship lies in people, in fact, not everyone is suitable for this profession. It needs to be qualitative and persistent, as the old saying goes: be able to sit still!

Ancient craftsmen accepted apprentices, and for the first three years, they did odd jobs, either carrying water or chopping wood for cooking, and they were not even allowed to touch the raw materials.

In order to examine the nature of the mind, and the level of character?

After three years of satisfaction, I really get started, learn from a teacher, and learn from the very basics. To forge a sword is to pull the bellows and strike the iron. Porcelain is to dig the soil, step on the lotus pier, and dry the mud, for a year or two.

Then you can start to pull the blank, then move the knife to repair the blank, and finally start the pen on the painting work, a set down, not one or two decades, don't even think about it!

To say that it is a waste of time, it is a waste. The level of the apprentices who can be taught is absolutely high, and they can give a piece of porcelain clay casually, without touching it with their hands, and they will know where it comes from with a nose.

For two whole years, I worked with mud, and every day I was dirty, and my whole body was covered in mud, and anyone could do it. This is not called talent, this is called persistence.

What is talent?

Starting from the blank, the same knife, the same plain tire, some people can repair to one millimeter, and some people can't fix it even if they are killed, this is talent.

Painting is even more so, which requires profound art and design skills, even if it is antique, it must be painted in accordance with the imitation of the ancients.

Imitation is not a bad word, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign, all art starts from imitating predecessors, without exception!

Thinking of this, Su Yuan put down the teacup and said tentatively: "I want to ask you about some news this time, do we have a suitable kiln for sale in Longquan?"

"You want to buy a kiln?" Mao Zhengcong was stunned and said confusedly: "Yes, yes, do you really want to burn porcelain yourself?"

Su Yuan took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "After all, porcelain has been in elementary school since elementary school, and there are feelings, and now the Su family sword shop is on the right track, and there are professionals to operate it, as for me, I still prefer to study the craft." ”

Mao Zhengcong nodded, secretly admiring that he was worthy of being the youngest master, and this calm focus was far beyond the others!

If you change to someone else, you must be persuaded to give up this idea, because porcelain is too expensive, and a fine product can be born, nine points depend on craftsmanship, and one point depends on luck. During the heyday of the Qing Dynasty, how many potters worked day and night, sleeplessly, and died for this art.

According to the records of the Qing Palace, Yongzheng asked the Imperial Kiln Factory to burn a few pastel plates and personally determine the pattern, Tang Ying worked diligently for two years, and finally overcame all the difficulties and completed the task.

It's a pity that the yield rate is too low, and dozens of kilns are only six high-quality products in the end, and Tang Ying personally escorted them into Beijing to meet Yongzheng. After reading the porcelain, the emperor liked it and felt distressed, and finally gritted his teeth and ordered that it should not be burned again in the future, in order to prevent the people from losing money.

Even the emperor is distressed about the cost, and you can imagine the astonishing cost!

But Su Yuan is worth hundreds of millions, and he has tens of millions of works at will, and even he is envious, jealous and hateful. Since he is willing to ask, it is trust, Mao Zhengcong pondered for a moment and said: "Longquan is the hometown of celadon after all, if you want to say that there are not one thousand kilns, there are eight hundred, but for various reasons, there are only a handful of fine products that can be used." ”

"If the number is not large, I suggest that you don't need to consider the dragon kiln, the cost is high, time-consuming and laborious, but the steamed bread kiln is more suitable. ”

Su Yuan nodded, the hero saw the same thing, the dragon kiln is too big, not as flexible as the steamed bread kiln, like a sword, take the high-end route, and win by quality.

Mao Zhengcong saw that Su Yuan nodded in agreement, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and suggested: "Porcelain has been passed down for thousands of years, from clay mining, to blank repair, glazing and painting, and finally entering the kiln to watch the fire, every link is broad and profound, and there is no room for sloppiness. ”

"If I want to recommend it, the Feng family's steamed bread kiln is good, especially Lao Feng, who is one of the few old piles in Longquan!"

Su Yuan was overjoyed, worthy of being an old Jianghu, this trip was worth it. Even now that the process is simplified, a traditional firewood kiln still requires at least six craftsmen with different processes to complete the processes of putting the blank into the sagger, putting the sagger into the kiln, closing the kiln door, igniting and temperature control, comparing the photo, and cooling out of the kiln.

According to the most traditional division of ancient wood-burning kilns, each firewood kiln needs to have a pile master, a pack worker, a table worker, a bag worker, a young man, three and a half husbands, two and a half husbands, one and a half husbands, handymen, and seven or eight types of work, with a clear division of labor and their own duties.

Among them, the experienced pile master who is familiar with various kiln techniques, commonly known as the fire head, is the most critical person in whether the firewood kiln can be fired successfully, just like the general on the battlefield, leading the overall situation, ordering and prohibiting, and saying nothing.