Chaozhou Woodcarvings: Best Places To Discover The True Magic of Art, Full Itinerary

#chinatravelitinerary Chaozhou woodcarving, also known as ”golden lacquered woodcarving", is a folk carving art in Chaoshan, Guangdong Province, with a long history and unique artistic style.Chaozhou woodcarving originated in the Tang Dynasty and prevailed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, especially at the end of the Qing Dynasty and before the War of Resistance. Historical background The history of Chaozhou woodcarving can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, which reached its heyday in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. From the end of the Qing Dynasty to the War of Resistance, Chaozhou woodcarving ushered in its golden age. During this period, the Chaoshan region was economically prosperous, and Chaozhou woodcarving was widely used and developed as a result. Artistic characteristics Chaozhou woodcarving is known for its multi-level carving techniques and gold paint decoration techniques, which have a resplendent artistic effect. Its subject matter is rich and diverse, including folklore, ancient and modern characters, flowers, birds, insects and fish, birds and beasts, theatrical stories, etc., and it is widely used in architectural decoration, furniture decoration, artifact decoration and desk decoration. Cultural significance Chaozhou woodcarving is not only an art form, but also carries rich cultural connotations.It combines the influence of Guangfu culture and Dongyang woodcarving in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and has a unique artistic style.In 2006, Chaozhou woodcarving was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. Representative works and production techniques Representative works of Chaozhou woodcarving include Ming and Qing woodcarving masterpieces such as “Qing Guangxu Golden Lacquered Woodcarving Great God Niche”. Its production technology includes a variety of techniques such as sinking carving, relief carving, round carving, and general carving, which are flexibly used according to different subject matter and decoration needs. Chaozhou woodcarving is represented in the following locations: Chaozhou Gu Liuxi Woodcarving Museum: Located on the 5th floor of the main Building of Chaozhou Traditional Crafts Research Association, Zone A, West Lake Industrial City, Xinyang Road, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province.This is a museum dedicated to displaying Chaozhou woodcarving, providing a rich display of woodcarving works of art. Cultural Museum of Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City: On January 5th, the Xiangqiao·Chaozhou Woodcarving Exhibition in the Intangible Cultural Heritage was held here, demonstrating the charm of Chaozhou woodcarving. Guangdong Provincial Museum: At No. 2, Zhujiang East Road, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, there is a dedicated woodcarving exhibition hall, which displays more than 200 pieces (sets) of Chaozhou woodcarving works, including gold-painted lacquer paintings, poetry classics, artistic conception pictures, longevity screens, round carved crab baskets and other fine products.The exhibition is divided into source and flow articles, production articles, art articles, instrumental articles and appreciation articles, vividly reproduces the application scenes of woodcarving products in the traditional social life of Chaoshan folk. Jiluo Huanggong Temple: Located in the ancient city of Chaozhou, it is known as the temple of Chaozhou woodcarving art.This private ancestral hall, built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, has various carvings distributed on each beam, especially the wood carvings under the beams of the worship pavilion are particularly concentrated and exquisite, representing the highest level of architectural craftsmanship in Chaozhou.