Li Anmin: Do a good job in the "defenders" of Datong bronze wares

Recently, the Shanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism High -quality Development Special Research Team, a group of people walking into a small courtyard in Pingcheng District, Datong City, visiting the national intangible cultural heritage representative project of Datong Copper Essence Li Anmin, 82 years old, still rushed to the excavation and protection of the traditional culture of copper. In the inheritance and development of bronze production skills, he wrote the adherence to a traditional craftsman with practical actions. "My idea is simple, that is, to inherit this millennium craftsmanship and contribute to the country and society." Li Anmin said.

Li Anmin (first from right) introduced the production skills of Datong copper hot pot Wang Wenhua

Persist in Datong bronze wares to regain their new life

"Worshiping Buddha in Wutai Mountain, buying copper in Datong City", said the origin of the bronze ware and the millennium ancient city. Datong bronze has a history of more than 2,700 years. With the adherence of a generation of craftsmen, the inheritance of ancient techniques has been passed down to this day, and in the engraving of the year after year, Datong's culture and soul are cast into it to become Datong's cultural treasures and cities of the city. business card. On September 15, 1973, when Premier Zhou Enlai accompanied French President Pongpi Dudu to visit the Datong Yungang Grottoes, he used the copper craft hot pot of Datong bronze "Kowloon Fenyue" as a gift.

In the more than 20 years when Li Anmin was the director of the Datong Metal Craft Factory, he worked hard to make traditional skills adapt to the aesthetic concept and practical needs of the generations, and led the entire plant to develop new wines, four treasures, daily necessities, and crafts. Among them, the most popular copper hot pot made of superior brass. At the New Year, the hot charcoal hot pot is an indispensable food for the Jinbei family. The sales of copper hot pot have risen straight.

Affected by various factors, in the 1990s, the Datong copper ware represented by copper hot pot began to decline. In 1995, the Datong Metal Craft Factory was discontinued, and more than 200 employees were unemployed. Li Anmin was anxious. He has retired for 3 years. The old craftsman in the joint factory, self -raised funds, set fire in his small courtyard. On this basis, in 2002, the Tianyichang Crafts Factory of Datong City (hereinafter referred to as "Tianyichang") was officially established. After 10 years, the plant was listed as a provincial -level intangible cultural heritage productive protection demonstration base. In 2014, Datong's bronze production technology became a national intangible cultural heritage protection project. In 2018, Li Anmin was selected as the recommendation list of representative inheritors of the representative inheritance of the national intangible cultural heritage representative project.

The insistence of the craftsmen ushered in the rebirth of Datong bronze. At present, Li Anmin is planning to establish a Museum of Museum of Making Datong Bronze.

Innovate and carefully crafted to create boutiques

It is difficult to stick to it, and it is more difficult to innovate. Li Anmin was dissatisfied with the old and lost losses. He said: "The task of the inheritor is to pass on the craftsmanship." For this reason, he often brings hundreds of boutique copper wares to and from the exhibitions of various places. Learn from the Datong bronze, and I hope that more people like Datong Copper.

Li Anmin said: "My goal is to continuously innovate research and development, so that each of our works can achieve both the use value and ornamental value, and be a" guardian "of the Datong bronze ware."

In 2017, the first Datong ancient metropolitan lantern festival was successfully held. Thousands of people eating together and the "Wangfu Raidi Banquet", which was eaten together, became an unforgettable memory of participants. The "Wangfu Shengku" copper hot pot with a height of 5.17 meters, a diameter of 3.5 meters, and a weighing 1883.5 kg is Li Anmin who led a dozen craftsmen of Tianyichang. It lasted for more than two months and a hammer. Nearly one ton of ingredients, for thousands of people to dine. The gourmet and beautiful wares show tourists with dual aesthetics of visual and taste, and once again show the extraordinary charm of the Datong bronze wares to the world.

Li Anmin said: "To make such a large pot heated evenly, the outer wall cannot be hot and hot, which also tests the craftsman's innovative skills."

Li Anmin pays great attention to the innovation ability of team members. He often leads craftsmen to visit and study cultural relics and other cultural relics such as Yungang Grottoes, draws on and absorb cultural elements in cultural relics and innovate. Everyone is engraved in the work; at the same time, the construction of the Great Wall Cultural Park and the Datong daylily industry are also the source of their creation. Based on the principle of "artisticization of daily necessities and daily use of crafts", at present, Tianyichang has developed more than 350 varieties such as craft hot pot, court royal pot, wedding, folk products, and tourist souvenirs. In terms of instrument, it has broken through the traditional form and innovatively produces daily necessities that are in line with young people's aesthetics and foreigners' habits.

In 2019, when the Fifth Jackie Chan International Film Week was held in Datong, the exquisite "Kowloon Fenyue" bronze craft hot pot as the movie weekly customized gifts, which was praised by the ambassador to China.

Li Anmin's son, Li Xudong, is now a representative inheritor of the provincial intangible cultural heritage. He said: "At present, we are trying to perfectly integrate Datong food culture with Datong bronze wares to launch Datong hot pot banquets to achieve non -heritage creative transformation. Innovative development. "

Inheritance and work hard to cultivate more talents

"I love the copper art throughout my life, and will inherit the Datong bronze art as a sacred responsibility and mission." Li Anmin said that in the past years, Datong's bronze wares have not exceeded the old routine. Improve and innovate; in terms of talents, there are only dozens of craftsmen who have mastered copper art throughout Datong City, and fewer young people are willing to participate in traditional craftsmanship. How to cultivate traditional handicrafts is the most realistic issue at present. It is understood that due to the new crown pneumonia's epidemic, Tianyichang only received 1 order in June this year, and there was no work at other times.

"Workers' salary is paid every month on time, and one is not willing to let them go, and it is not easy to cultivate one. The development of enterprises cannot be separated from everyone, and the inheritance of technology depends on everyone." Li Anmin has trained more than 30 apprentices, of which 1 provincial inheritor, 3 municipal inheritors, and 2 district -level inheritors. In order to improve their theoretical level, the factory also often sends everyone to participate in training courses and training classes for learning.

"Copper production is time -consuming and energy -consuming. It takes at least 3 years to learn ordinary copper wares. In order to inherit this craft, Li Anmin will be reported to recruit students every year; often leads the team into technical schools, vocational schools, and special schools to promote it and promote traditional culture; , Exchange and experience, stimulate students' interest in Datong bronze production skills. He also edited the book "Datong Bronze", which systematically introduced the development history, product variety, technical characteristics, pattern design, and humanistic stories of Datong bronze wares.

Wei Caihua, deputy dean of the School of Humanities of Shanxi University, introduced Li Anmin to the Talent Training Policy proposed by the "Notice on Promoting High -quality Inheritance and Development of Traditional Crafts", including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism: "In the next step, the state will further improve the inheritance system, Encourage the overall level of traditional craft practitioners from the aspects of academic education and job education. "

Zheng Wei, dean of the School of Humanities of Shanxi University, encouraged Li Anmin to persist, survive the difficulties, and use this period of time to actively conduct talent training and technology improvement. Zheng Wei believes that traditional craftsmanship will usher in great development.

It is understood that at present, the Datong city government has planned a courtyard house for Tianyichang in the ancient city of Datong, creating a larger and better development space for Datong bronze wares.

Li Anmin hopes to offer non -heritage courses in the university, so that children can contact and have interest earlier. He is confident in the development of bronze wares, saying that in the subsequent inheritance, he will step up the pace of innovation research and development, and adhere to the ingenuity and conscience of handicrafts. (Author: China Tourism News Wang Wenhua; Editor: Cao Xuewen)

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