China News Service, Taichung, August 19th: Title: Reviving the glory of the statue, Cai Chengzhe starts a life of paper art
China News Service reporter Yang Chengchen, Xing Liyu
In a small old-fashioned office, there are three desks occupied by court documents and seals on one side. The cabinets on the other side are filled with paper mache idols and handicraft tools.
The life of Taiwanese paper artist Cai Chengzhe is like his office, divided into two parts by work and interests.
Master Cai, 50, grew up in Puzi Pei Tiangong in Chiayi County. He has been around the temple since he was a child and has a special affection for the statues of Mazu and other gods enshrined in the temple.
Cai Chengzhe studied architecture in high school and got into legal work after leaving school. In the blink of an eye, 30 years have passed. His work is no longer busy, and the business scale of his company in Taichung has shrunk. A decrease in income is sad for others, but for Cai Chengzhe, it is the beginning of a new life experience.
Cai Chengzhe had more time to return to the paper mache art he loved since childhood. Under the light of the workbench, wearing myopia glasses, he glued the soaked newspapers piece by piece, gently pasted them on the inside of the paper statue, and spread the white glue evenly to prevent air bubbles from remaining.
"A work needs to be pasted with 17 layers of paper, and each layer needs time to dry. The final completion takes about a year. The gods three to four hundred years ago were all made of paper, because this ancient art Craftsmanship, that’s why it’s spoken of by seniors "One paper, two soil, three wood'"
Cai Chengzhe began to teach himself paper-paste technology in 2013. With the help of his construction skills while studying architecture, and visiting palaces and temples, he gradually became a "master" in this field in Taiwan. .
"Others raise fish and flowers, I raise newspapers." Opening the refrigerator in the workroom, there are a large number of old newspapers used for paper making. After exploration, Cai Chengzhe discovered that the fibers of newspapers are thin and long, which can enhance the hardness of the work and help it be preserved for a long time. After trying all the newspapers available on the market, he selected "Minshi Shimbun", which specializes in court announcements, as his production material.
Cai Chengzhe’s first work was a head of General Qianshun made for his hometown, Pei Tiangong. Although there are still many paper-mâché gods in Peitian Palace, almost no one has truly mastered this almost lost technology, and everyone has different opinions.
took half a year, and the general's avatar began to take shape. But what he didn't expect was that the neck connection was too short, making it impossible to close it with the original body part. People around him suggested that "just redo it from the head down", but Cai Chengzhe refused to do it and simply started over. When the second finished product was handed over to the temple, every villager was full of praise for the lifelike image of the deity.
Cai Chengzhe told reporters that he also considered changing his career completely and making a living through handicrafts, but later found that the works produced in a hurry were not as good as before. He emphasized that it was only through the experience of going astray that he realized that only by studying with an attitude of interest can the paper-paste technology be continuously improved.
Cai Chengzhe still keeps the failed "maiden work" to remind himself not to forget his original intention for this hobby that originated from his childhood memories. In the past six years, he has completed a total of 20 papier-mâché works, and his reputation has gradually spread, some of which have even spread to Southeast Asia.
"I dare not say that I have inherited traditional culture. I am just trying to promote this old technology." In his view, Taiwan has a strong atmosphere of folk belief. Some people "worship the gods when they see them", but they do not know the historical reasons behind their beliefs. Very little. Promoting papier-mâché art requires not only making people aware of the craft but also its origins.
Recently, Taiwanese paper artist Cai Chengzhe was interviewed by a reporter from China News Service. Photographed by China News Service reporter Yang Chengchen
Among the works displayed on the cabinet, a statue of Princess Loulan from the Western Regions is slightly out of the ordinary. Cai Chengzhe pointed out that the presence of deities in Taiwanese palaces and temples alone cannot make more audiences love papier-mâché art.Once he accidentally heard the mainland Internet song "My Loulan", he was attracted by the fantasy legends of the Western Regions, so he created the image of Princess Loulan based on his imagination.
Although this new work has not been as popular as he hoped, he firmly believes that only by producing different types of works that are close to modern people's aesthetics can the beauty of paper mache art be seen and accepted by more people.
Due to his repeated awards and coverage by the Taiwanese media, Cai Chengzhe has become a celebrity in his hometown. His family, who once thought he was not doing his job properly, now understand him. His works are displayed in temples for worshipers to admire, making them proud.
More and more people from all over Taiwan who are interested in paper art are coming here. He talks about everything he knows and passes on his experience and knowledge. "There seems to be an unspoken rule in traditional Chinese skills that is not easily passed on to others. This is not good. As long as the younger generation comes to ask, I will teach them without reservation." (End)
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