The jade carving technique of Jieyang

Jade requires "three parts water and seven parts craftsmanship". Its beauty can only be fully reflected after being carved by craftsmen. Jieyang is located in Guangdong, and Jieyang craftsmen are the representatives of the southern style of carving. Today, let’s take a look at the characteristics of Jieyang workers with Xiao Chuang.

The carving skills of Jieyang are beyond compare. Jieyang craftsmen are very strict in their pursuit of craftsmanship. When designing a piece of jade material, they have to consider how to adjust the water, light and color of the jade through workmanship. By adjusting the thickness of the key parts of the jade and the curvature of the surface where light reaches, they can achieve the optimal state of jade carving, such as light transmittance, thickness, etc.

The jade carving techniques of Jieyang craftsmen combine the traditional Chaoshan wood carving, stone carving, ceramics, and Chaoshan embroidery techniques. Therefore, the jade carvings made by Jieyang craftsmen have a balanced and full composition, exquisite and delicate lines, and look very unique and extraordinary. When carving mountains and rivers, they are upright and tall; when carving rivers, they are turbulent; when carving insects, fish, birds and beasts, they are lively and active; when carving celebrities, they are heroic and vigorous; when carving Buddha statues such as Guanyin, they are solemn and dignified.

The overall performance of this carving is delicate and perfect, and its image is as realistic as in reality. Jieyang craftsmen have an endless pursuit for details in their works. Even the smallest details will be meticulously carved. Even if it is a small object, Jieyang people will patiently carve it one tooth at a time, engrave it one hair at a time, grind it one water drop at a time, and carve it bit by bit.

Such meticulous Jieyang craftsmen will never sacrifice local details for the sake of the overall effect. If a piece of material has defects when made into a large piece, then it will be made into a small piece; if it also has defects when made into a small piece, then it will be made into an egg-shaped piece. However, it is the Jieyang workers' near zero-tolerance attitude towards defects that has created the golden signboard of Jieyang workers being the best in the world.

However, such rigorous procedures also limit the innovation of Jieyang workers, the creativity of Jieyang craftsmen, and the development of Jieyang technology. Whether such meticulousness is a constraint or a heritage, only time will tell.