Nomination for the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Herit age of Humanity
FoShan Woodblock New-Ye ar Printing ( 佛山木板年畫 )
Brief history of Foshan Woodblock Ne w-Year Prints
Brief history of Foshan Woodblock New-Yea r Prints • Could be traced back to Song Dynasty • In prosperous period, there were around 200 Woodblock New-Yea r Prints workshops • During Cultural Revolution, Woodblock New-Year Prints was regar ded as superstition and should be destroyed • After that, Feng’s re-built his workshop and continued to produce Woodblock New-Year Prints • Till now, only Feng’s become heir of Woodblock New-Year Prints
Why our group choose Foshan Woodblo ck New-Year Prints
Why our group choose Foshan Woodblock New-Year P rints Foshan • one of the four Chinese famous towns in the past • kept many Chinese traditions Foshan Woodblock New-Year Prints • has over 600 years history • Only Feng’s is the legitimated heir • Cultural exchange to east Asia and western countries • Lingnan Culture representative Therefore, we choose Foshan Woodblock New-Year Prints as out tar get preservation item.
Compare with other three major printin gs workshops
Tianjin Yangliuqing ( 天津楊柳青 ) Folk artistic style and strong lo cal characteristics Theme: - Current issues, customs, dail y lives and historical stories of each period Local culture: - Historical and cultural city Color: - ‘Half-printed, half-painted’: drawings engraved; hand-paint ed
Suzhou Taohuawu ( 蘇州桃花 塢) Theme: - Opera stories, classic novels and l ocal customs Local culture : - Jiangnan folk artistic style Color: - Symmetrical composition - Colorful, mainly apply purplish re d * ‘South Tao North Yang’
Shandong Weifang Yangjiabu ( 山東潍坊楊家埠 ) Theme: - Auspiciousness - Hope for peace and wealth Local culture :
- Actual needs of farmers liv ing environment Color: - Exaggerated and strong - Peasant painting
Foshan Woodblock New-Year Pri Theme: nts - Related to Lingnan region people folk culture i.e. historica l figures
- Martial arts Local culture : - Reflect Foshan historical background and traditional craf ts i.e. Foshan paper-cut - Famous martial arts village Color:
- Red, yellow, green and black - Red lead, gold and silver decoration - Red lead is a unique local style (also call ‘Red years’)
Why can it enter UNESCO?
5 criteria for Inscription on ICH of UNESCO • R.1 The element constitutes intangible cultural heritage as defined in Article 2 of t • • • •
he Convention. R.2 Inscription of the element will contribute to ensuring visibility and awareness of the significance of the intangible cultural heritage and to encouraging dialogue, thus reflecting cultural diversity worldwide and testifying to human creativity. R.3 Safeguarding measures are elaborated that may protect and promote the eleme nt. R.4 The element has been nominated following the widest possible participation o f the community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned and with their free , prior and informed consent. R.5 The element is included in an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage pre sent in the territory(ies) of the submitting State(s) Party(ies), as defined in Article 11 and Article 12 of the Convention.
Specially highlight on R3 To pass on the techniques, • Promote and teach the next generation in schools • Students gather in the workshop to have seminars on every Sat urday To promote in the society, • Establish a concept hall to provide catering and souvenirs relat ed to the theme of Foshan Woodblock New-Year Prints
Representative organization for applying UNE SCO
Representative organization for a pplying UNESCO • Now, our group are on behalf of The People`s Gove rnment of Foshan Municipality ( 佛山市人民政府 ) to help Foshan Woodblock New-Year Prints to apply for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage
Technique
- 張輝輝 , 馮氏世家和佛山木版年畫
Technique – Video (0740-0822)
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI4MDgwNDA4.html
- 鳳凰衛視 , 佛山木版年畫
Technique – 套印 Need to be very accurate Wood block print With 4 specific colors Red, Green, Yellow an Black Master skills from foshan paper cut and embroidery
- 張輝輝 , 馮氏世家和佛山木版年畫
Technique – 描金
- 張輝輝 , 馮氏世家和佛山木版年畫
Technique – 填丹 Only 門神畫 has this procedure The most important and unique skills within other wood block print
- 張輝輝 , 馮氏世家和佛山木版年畫
Themes
- 張輝輝 , 馮氏世家和佛山木版年畫
Themes – “Year Print” ( 年畫 ) • Lunar New Yea r • Good luck and Good Fortune • “ 門神” is t he most popula r theme • 關公 , 秦琼 , 尉遲恭 , 鐘馗 etc.
Themes – “Year Print” ( 年畫 ) • 財神 • 文武財神 比干 and 范蠡
Themes – “God” ( 神像畫 ) • Traditional folk culture – local relig ions and spiritual belief
• 觀音 , 關帝 , 龍母 , 紫葵 , 洪 聖 , 鐘馗 etc.
北帝群仙圖
Themes – “God” ( 神像畫 ) • 和合二仙 is the most famous work from mas ter Fang
• 精品 • Blessing for wedding
Themes – 觀賞畫 • Lamp and fans decoration and joyous event. Etc • Folk culture and story
Themes – others • Ceremonial uses – sacrifices to god • “Paper Horse” ( 紙馬 ) folk culture PoLo Fu ( 波蘿符 ): Service in “ 洪聖爺 誕” Fishmen use it for safety when they work put it on the boat Social function
Themes – “New Year Print” ( 新 年畫 ) • After 1949 • To reflect s ocialism
• Innovative idea from the traditional pri nts
Current Situation • With the Feng’s as the only inheritor of Foshan Woo dblock New Year Painting • endangered
• Financial support from Feng’s family and governmen t • A variety of institutions have pay their effort in prese rvation and promotion
Safeguard measures • Self-reliance • Capital • Offering trainings to students • Designed products for promotion • Organizing events – talks, exhibitions, festivals etc.
• Government • Policies for preservation and promotion • Subsidies
The Feng’s Family Maintenance • In 2012, Foshan Fung’s Family traditional cultural planning L td was established marketing of Woodblock New Year Painting -> with a total of 5 employees
• Foshan woodblock New Year theme concept museum project catering, craft training, small museum, gift customization and sa les, etc
The Feng’s Family Transmission
• Old shop • supervising the production of prints – quality control • Feng Bingtang ( 馮炳棠 ) master the entire process of the craftmanshi p-
• New Studio - Office • daily operations of events • products design • training students
The Feng’s Family Transmission • Employees • learning different techniques of the craftmanship • holding talks in high schools • recruit students and give them training for free • Now there are 8 students in training • Inheritance of the craftmanship: gradually improving
The Feng’s Family Transmission
• New Year Prints Protection Association • community-oriented • spread woodblock New Year prints through its members
• Student Association • promote woodblock New Year Prints in student organizations • training members interested in New Year Printings • offer manpower to activities organized by the company when necessar y
The Government Subsidies ($10,000) • by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic o f China • by the Ministry of Culture of Foshan
The Government Policies for protection • Foshan Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center • help with the protection of the craftsmanship
• Foshan museum • academic research for the craftsmanship • virtual gallery (http://foshanmuseum.com/zl/mbnh/mbnh.asp?page=7)
• Foshan Folk Art Research Institute • Support the Feng’s by allowing them to hang their brand
Past and Present safeguard measu res • Both parties pay their effort in preservation and pro motion – Feng’s family and government • Different institutions help to preserve and promote • Financial support, education and adverstivement Well preserved already – Basement to enter UNESCO
Safeguarding measure s proposed for the W oodblock New-Year p rintings
Objectives • Ensure the element’s viability will not be undermine a fter inscribed
• “World Intangible Heritage” -encourage public’s participation -involve them to the decision making
1) Scientific Study of the Painting formula A) Analysis different recipes of the FoShan Woodblock New Year Prnting • Procedure of making MenShenHua( 門神畫 )
B) Analysis the proportion of the ingredient of the Painting • Such as TianDan( 填丹 )
Avoid loss of Woodblock New Year Printing’s technique
2) Establish a specialized library and database o n FoShan Woodblock New Year Printing
Archive printing collection, art, documental and other materials relevant to FoShan Woodblock New Year Painting (Not only in China but also those in Russia and South East Asia)
Provide a systematic institution to record the informations of the Painting
To avoid loss of the precious data (In previous years, there are various painting but not only Mr. Feng’s)
3) Organize Various types of Woodblock New Year Printing thematic exhibitions • Holding exhibitions all around the world
• Individual exhibition/Collaborate with different genre of Woodblock painting
Different Parties
• Academy, Museum, Shopping Mall and so on
Different Nature of sites
• Local, Nation, Region and International
Different Location
Promote “Woodblock Printing” and FoShan Woodblock Printing to the global culture scene
4) Organize Ethnographic Fork Art Festivals, F airs and Competition • Holding various types of events which provide a platform for public as sess to the Woodblock Printing so as to different types of Folk art C o n Wf oRe rr kae scn c he e Not only appreciate the o work but try to let people practice the printing or even manifest their own p d works to public a Printing Popularizing Woodblock y
5) Improving the current acade my Recently: Everyone can only learn ONE procedure One can learn every procedure As the demand and function of the FoShan Woodblock New Year Painting changed Promoting to public Should focus on quality and personality but not quantity Division of procedure should be gather to one person More flexible and creative
6) Issue related conservation regu lation and ordinance • Apart from the Regulation or the Implementation of the Cultural
Relics Protection ( 中華人民共和國文物保護法 )which issued in 2007
Planning to issue some specialize regulation to monitor the Wood block painting so as to suit the state policy of promoting and safegua rding the painting more properly
Ensure Communities, Group and Individual involvement Reflecting the local identity of FoShan Crucial to involve Local/Regional residents Interview and meetings Public • Public Hearing • Discussion International/global • Call for event proposal
Groups of followers
Communities
Local Residents
Volunteers
Commissions
Reflection
Urbanization • Living environment changed • Demolition ( 佛山木版年畫一條街 , resettlement pressure)
SHU Huifang, CHEN Hong (2009)
Other difficulties faced • Manpower loss - Apprentices ( 關門弟子 ) left • Suffered in loss, difficult to sustain
SHU Huifang, CHEN Hong (2009)
Disagreement between two Fengs • Father: sell for daily uses, cannot be expensive • Son: sell for profit, need market and management reform (e .g. product diversity, quality, production line, etc.) • Authenticity
SHU Huifang, CHEN Hong (2009)
Inscription on ICH of UNESCO • Cultural preservation VS Commodification (adaptatio n) • 填丹技藝 – secret recipe, element of family busines s and not intended to expose (transmission problem) • Need of government cooperation (urban planning) • Chances for being nominated not great
References • Bianyaqia (phonenixtv). (2011). Foshan New Year Parnting. Podcast retrieved fr • • • •
om http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI4MDgwNDA4.html Chu, C. F. (2012). The exploration of the Foshan New Year Printing. China Acaemi c Jounal, 29-31. Foshan Museum (2013). Foshan New Year Printing photo exhibition. Retrieved fro m http://foshanmuseum.com/zl/mbnh/mbnh.asp?page=7 Shu, H. F. & Chen, H. (2012). Foshan New Year Printing: History & Development. Journal of Shenzhen Polytechnic, (2), 36-39. Yang, L. J. (2014, April 11). China New-Year Prints. Xinhuanet. Retrieved from http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2004-01/16/cont
• Zhang, H. H. (2013). Fung's Family and Foshan Woodblock New-Year Prints. Chin a Academic Journal, 19-25.