In the Ming Dynasty, there was a person with special skills named Wang Shuyuan, who was able to carve a piece of wood with a diameter of one inch into palaces, utensils, people, and even birds, animals, trees, and stones, all of which could be carved into the shape of various things according to the original appearance of the wood, each with its own mood.

Wang Shuyuan is a master of the art of carving nuclear boats, and his carving of "Su Shi You Chibi" nuclear boats was later written by essayist Wei Xueyun into an article "Nuclear Boat Records", which vividly describes this exquisite miniature carving handicraft. Among them, there are "not because of the potential pictogram, each with a modality", and its length has not been enough, and the cover is simple peach core cultivation narrow for it. It can be seen that the nuclear boat has high artistic and ornamental value.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Suzhou nuclear carving gradually rose, the official eunuchs and businessmen in Jiangsu and Zhejiang advocated elegance, and it was popular to play with treasures such as bamboo, wood and ivory carving, in order to show their identity and status, so that the nuclear carving swept the government and the opposition, and there was a grand occasion of "all literati must hold a folding fan, and there must be a nuclear carving fan pendant", and the exquisite and exquisite nuclear carving was worn and collected by people.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, there were also many famous nuclear carvings, such as Yang Zhishan and Du Langui. Yangzhi Mountain's walnut carving "West Garden Elegant Collection Illustrated" is exquisite; The nuclear carving of Dulan Gui was also used as a gift to foreign heads of state during Prime Minister's visit in 1955.

During the period of the Republic of China, the nuclear carving of Zhoushan Village on the edge of Taihu Lake in Suzhou gradually emerged. Zhoushan Village has been a place of carving craftsmen since ancient times. According to the record of "Xiangshan Xiaozhi": "Xiangshan Ziren, the skillful person lives in five or six out of ten. There are also carvers, specializing in bamboo roots, bamboo joints, boxwood, red sandalwood, as well as ivory, horns, peach pits, olive pits, carved landscape figures, flowers, birds and beasts and other playthings, exquisite and sophisticated, elegant and vulgar appreciation."

Yin Genfu (1885-1939), who was interested in craft carving since childhood, was immersed in Suzhou's profound history and culture and the rich and exquisite traditional crafts.

Around 1930, he opened "Yongxingzhai" in the Old Town God's Temple in Shanghai, specializing in selling bamboo and ivory carving handicrafts. By chance, he obtained the olive pit from the hands of the Guangdong shipwright, the olive pit is produced in the "Wuhang" variety in Guangdong, its particles are large, the texture is hard and delicate, easy to hold the knife and carve and chisel, after its careful thinking, with the shape of the design carved into the head of the Arhat, after a little touching, it will be moist and smooth.

Later, he wore the carved Luohan head into a bracelet and sold it in Shanghai stores, which were very popular with the public. In order to create a good image of the Arhat, he went to the Dongshan Zijin Nunnery Arhat Hall many times to copy and observe, and repeatedly pondered, and melted into his heart.

Since then, the Arhat head he carved has become more and more vigorous, simple and dignified, with a natural expression, expressive eyes, and vivid images and different looks, so that the buyers are endless. Since then, he has specialized in carving Arhat heads, and has developed the unique skills of the Yin School.

In order to meet the market demand, he trained many apprentices such as his son Yin Rongsheng, daughter Yin Xueyun and apprentice Xu Yinsheng, and organized production in Zhoushan Village, where the annual consumption of olive kernels in the village was about 10 quintals.

The nuclear carving skills of the Yin school were inherited by Yin Rongsheng, Yin Xueyun, Xu Yinsheng, Zhong Nianfu, etc., and gradually developed and expanded. In 1970, they convened Murakami nuclear carving artists to establish a carving group, which was sold to Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asian countries through the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Import and Export Company; In 1973, he led more than 20 people to participate in the establishment of Wuxian Dongshan Carving Factory; Then, in 1975, the Zhoushan Nuclear Carving Factory was established in the village.

In 1972, Yin Xueyun was invited to Suzhou Arts and Crafts Factory and Suzhou Arts and Crafts Research Institute to teach nuclear carving skills, and successively trained Dong Lansheng and many other apprentices.

For a period of time, Suzhou olive core carving was at a low ebb, the personnel were scattered, and the skills were sparse. Since the beginning of this century, with the rapid development of the domestic economy and the gradual prosperity of people's lives, the number of people who love nuclear carving is increasing day by day, and the production of nuclear carving has turned around again, so that the once silent nuclear carving market has become active.

In today's Zhoushan Village, every household is making nuclear carvings, and the number of employees is as high as five or six hundred. People in Beijing and other big northern cities are very fond of Suzhou nuclear carving, and local villagers stay at home, but customers come one after another.

At the same time, through the passing of the torch, a large number of nuclear carving experts of the younger generation have emerged, and there is a tendency for the blue to be better than the blue.

Today's nuclear carving varieties and colors are more colorful, and their expressions can be divided into three series. One is the bead string type, that is, a number of nuclear carvings are worn into a string, mostly eighteen Arhat heads, various auspicious beasts, and a group of immortals; The second is the pendant type, that is, the single kernel carving, with the red line, can be hung on the neck or waist to wear, can also be hung on the clothes, folding fans, the pendant is rich in expression, the characters have ladies, Guanyin, etc., as well as flowers and birds, dragons and phoenixes, landscape plants, etc.; The third is the ornament type, that is, the nuclear carving is inlaid on the ivory or mahogany base for people to enjoy, especially the nuclear boat, which is famous for its ingenuity.

In terms of subject matter, there are mainly four series, one is the auspicious Ruyi series, such as the zodiac, evil beasts, etc.; the second is a series of immortal characters, such as the Eighteen Arhats, Guanyin, Maitreya Buddha, Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, etc.; the third is a series of folk and folk tales, such as Dongpo Boating Chibi, Xizhi Playing Goose, Taoyuan Three Knots, etc.; The fourth is the series of landscape gardens, such as landscape landscapes, classical gardens, etc.

In addition to the above-mentioned forms and subject matter, young nuclear carvers are also diligently exploring nuclear carving works with multiple forms and themes of expression, which seems to be to make the world, history and humanity all the world, history and humanity in every square inch, which is impressive.

The nuclear eagle has a very deep relationship with people. People who love the core wear the nuclear carving is generally not separated from the body, and often play with it in their hands in their spare time, so that over time the nuclear carving will be combined with the secretions of the human body, making it more and more lustrous and warm, full of vitality and spirituality. This is an ordinary nuclear carving, which gives the owner the best induction and feedback after being endowed with warmth and sincerity, which makes people feel something.

The artistic conception created by the nuclear carving is myriad, including landscapes, figures, and gardens, etc., all kinds of states in the world. You can't travel far, and you can't leave the reinforced concrete forest, but if you can have a few of your favorite nuclear carvings in your desk or study, and visualize and meditate between work, it can also be a joyful feeling of ideal spiritual conception.

In the nuclear carving artworks, there are always a lot of traditional culture and ancient Chinese stories that resonate. In the process of appreciating the nuclear carving works, we will inevitably understand the cultural heritage and stories behind them. Find your own ultimate way of caring in the unity of traditional stories and nature.

For nuclear carvers, in fact, the process of nuclear carving is also a process that makes people's hearts quiet. Learning nuclear carving is a great way to relieve stress, because making a nuclear carving requires the maker to leave the distractions in their minds and focus on every detail in order to do it well.

The famous nuclear carving masters of the Ming Dynasty include Wang Shuyuan, Xia Baiyan, Qiu Shan, and Torture Sacrifice. Wei Xueyun's "Wang Shuyuan Nuclear Boat Record" describes that Wang Shuyuan can carve a boat out of tiny walnuts, with five people and eight windows on the boat, and Xia Baiyan in the Ming Dynasty carved 16 babies on an olive core, and the child's body is only half a grain of rice. Or engrave the mother and the mother of the nine cockroaches, the lotus nine ducks, its pan bend and fly away the state of the contract, into the square inch small nucleus", known as the holy hand for a while.

The peach pit carving artists of the Qing Dynasty include Ding Nianting, Gao Jiajun, Du Weinan, Zhang Dayan, Chen Zihe and others, which belong to the peach pit carving in Weifang, Shandong. Qianlong loved nuclear carving and once summoned Du Shiyuan into the palace. The National Palace Museum now has Chen Zuzhang's "Red Cliff Night Tour Olive Core Boat" during the Qianlong period.

I've seen some people who don't know what's going on with the rosewood and can blow the small leaf red sandalwood with others for a night, and the veteran laughs with him for a long time, and he doesn't realize it, which makes people feel superficial.

Selected old tree iron core, Zhoushan master pure hand-carved, lotus heart shapes are different, the carving is quite clean, the lotus leaf is distinct, both men and women can wear the style, meaning: more children and more blessings, transport, holiday gifts are quite good, the iron core is not easy to crack and not easy to flower.

Heavy weapon "Eight Treasures Maitreya" this kind of core can give the craftsman a very high space for expansion, the knife work is particularly bright and expressive, Maitreya facial features are prominent, the character form is realistic, the new design of the boutique belly Eight Treasures Maitreya color ruddy, deep and translucent, the surface is very smooth, the thief is quick to look good and generous, the face is festive, the belly is full of roundness, full of blessings, the new style has just been designed out of the core hard, full, and colorful!

As a senior nuclear carving enthusiast who has played nuclear for many years, he often puts forward his own opinions to new nuclear carving talents, advocating rational consumption, watching carvers speak, and not being entangled in the name. Rationality, refinement, petty bourgeoisie, fun, and literary tone are the character expressions of this enthusiast-level nuclear carving player.

In the magic capital, he was in his prime, and like most of his peers, he pursued those vanity appearances, and met the "nuclear" when he was sleepy and weak. As for whether I bumped into "nuclear" by chance, or whether she broke into my "heart", I still don't understand it, maybe God is destined to make us entangled.

Before talking about "nuclear", I have to explain in advance that the whole article may not be too smooth, and there is no way to completely restore the details of the past. At the same time, as a player, there are many things that need to be corrected, and I hope that some of my friends will mention it more, and I am very grateful.

At the beginning of the first year, many nuclear carving works did not fall (including most of the current top celebrities, it is estimated that they did not expect such earth-shaking changes in a few years), and there was no difference in the size of raw materials (only iron core, oil core, three flowers, four flowers, and strange cores), and the price was quite colorful.

Although I think back on the prices in the past, I have mixed feelings, but the price of the year was a lot of money for people with monthly salaries.

In fact, there are only a few pieces that really come out of the effect after playing, and many works cannot be played for various reasons, and even the storage requirements are very high.

Another reason is that there were very few young people who played nuclear at that time, and they somehow became lone rangers, and not many people could understand or appreciate the charm of this craft.

"Work" is better than all titles, and it really depends on the work itself.

Whether the payment and certificate can ensure the quality of the work 100%, everyone knows.

Disc play is the first, collection is supplemented, and the investment is pulled down.

A plaything, it was originally a picture of fun. If you can't get started with the nuclear carving work to see the process of change, you will essentially lose most of the fun; As for collecting, it is not measured by price; If the investment is not considered, the risk is too great, and the rate of return is also low.

In the past five years, the number of works has averaged more than a dozen pieces per year, each of which is almost all yours, coupled with the accumulation of years of accumulation, in order to avoid being shelved, timely control, so that there is a circulation barter. It is not uncommon to play in the circle, as long as you treat people with truth, it will work, and the status quo has achieved "handling is possession", that's all.

When talking about the word "Su Gong" and "Old Su Gong", the first thing that comes to mind is Zhoushan Village, where in addition to the Su and Yin families, the Zhong family and their apprentices, can reflect the simple and clumsy taste of Suzhou nuclear carving, there are also some masters who are far better than the name of "hard work".

Although Mr. Miao Xiaoming is famous, his skills are maintained, and the quality of his works has been guaranteed (it is rumored that he made ten works a year), and he is proficient in relief techniques, and his knife skills are delicate and flexible. The round carving works in the early years can also be called a model of Su Gong, and "The Legend of the West Chamber" and "The Wide-eyed Heavenly King" among the Four Heavenly Kings are only works that can be included in the scope of the younger generation's ability.

If Mr. Miao Xiaoming's skills originate from the carpentry foundation when he was young, then Mr. Ren Minhua can be regarded as a "temperamental" craftsman (I think it is similar to Mr. Wang Kaiming of peach pit carving), and he is also one of the teachers who I highly respect.

The reason why I prefer Mr. Ren's works is mainly because his works meet the conditions of my various play and collection, from the restoration of the original paintings, layout design, control of the charm of the character form, and the details are in place.

Teacher Ren Xiaoming is a genius, the portrayal of animal-themed works is not only similar in shape, but also vivid, and the "Family Portrait" series of works are remarkable.

Mr. Hu Haisheng and Mr. Min Ming's early works are famous for eating knives, and the characters are particularly charming, showing a diamond facet effect after playing, which is very dazzling under the sun, but it is a pity that the follow-up works of the two teachers have no innovation.

The reason why he is called a craftsman is because he dedicates his master's work with the remuneration of a craftsman, and it is not a mockery. Works such as "Eight Treasures of Guanyin", "Birds and Flowers", and "Eighteen Arhats" are all masterpieces of the time, and their skills are not inferior to that of a certain master, and even better than blue, but few people have the opportunity to come into contact with his works.

So there was a joke back then, if there was a significant difference in the works of a certain master in the same period, then the best one was Ru Lei Bengong. Time has passed, not to mention, Zhou Fulin and Zhou Quangen, the small seed works of "Eighteen Arhats", are also very outstanding, but they are not very good at marketing and promotion, and few people can feel it in person.

Shanghai style, can it be regarded as a Shanghai characteristic? Forget it, there must be a "sea" word. Xiaoliang (Xu Hualiang)'s "Wealth at Night" and "Eight God of Wealth" are all the rage, and the practice of breaking the tradition is indeed refreshing. His teacher Wang Dingxin is even more skilled, he was born in the Academy of Fine Arts, is a close disciple of Mr. Gu Zhenpeng, a master of ivory carving in Shanghai, and his masterpieces carved with knives in different materials have also won numerous awards.