The Brick Carving Of Linxia

Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Linxia is located in the southwest of Gansu Province, has the praise of small Mecca , since Qin and Han Dynasty here became to be the main thoroughfare of Silk Road, here have Islam' s unique culture. The brick carving of Linxia, also called the brick carving of Hezhou, it is the folk art well received by people of Hui, the national characters are strong.The brick carving is our country' s unique building art, its developing history is of long standing and well established, have more than 2,000 years at least. During different history developing stage, the brick carving demonstrates different craft tactics and style characteristic. Regional culture and multi-national culture have influenced brick carving art; all these make Chinese brick carving demonstrate the extensive and profound appearance. History of the brick carving of Hui, brick carving use in mosque and graveyard that Hui build in Tang, Song, yuans of period early most, such as the brick carving of the Islamic style on the brick wall of temple of Hangzhou, it was built in Yuan Dynasty, it was very exquisite, it showed Hui' s superb brick carving art. Since Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hui absorbed the characteristic of brick carving art of the Han nationality of our country; brick-carving art is being innovated and developed in practice constantly, have formed one' s own unique national style. Art of brick carving of Linxia is evolved from such carving and picture brick in building of Han Dynasty, such as ancestral hall, coffin chamber and palace, etc., originated from Northern Song Dynasty, ripe in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the skillful craftsman came forth in large number, The works are colourful, carve and engrave meticulously, the composition is rigorous, the intention is novel, the model is vivid, the style is simple and unsophisticated and colorful, the works are imbued with extremely strong imagination and expression. Linxia brick carving is mainly used in temple and local-style dwelling houses; enjoy high reputation very in the Northwest. It has ornamental value of the independent one, can also be with combining together wholly. The building where this way decorated is quiet and elegant, have strong life senses.The making technology of the brick carving of Linxia is divided into two kinds,pinch * and * carve ". The meaning of " pinch * is to pinch the ooze: Pinch the clay and mud with hands or the mould at first, the mud is pressed into various kinds of pattern, then put the mud into the kiln, fire it for the finished product. As the construction material, it is used mainly in such places as the ridge, wall, corner, etc. It is very easy for the artisan to pinch the mud; the most important thing is the size of the fire while firing. Its pattern is mostly such folk subject matter loved by all as dragon, phoenix, tiger, lion, flowers, bird, etc. " carvingmeans engraving out various kinds of pattern with the burin on the smooth blue brick. Usually a piece of pattern is made up of dozens of blue bricks. The brick is generally big square ones, 25 cm long, 25 cm wide, and 7 cm thick. The actors carve according to the drawing separately, the brick carved finally is put together and become an intact work. These works are mostly decorated in such position as the courtyard, screen wall facing the gate of a house, gable, step and threshold wall, etc. In the Moslem' s traditional understanding, the blue and green is the most beautiful color, so, materials used of general brick carving are all blue and green bricks. It is to appraise the level that he carves to appraise a actor. It carves to be to carve at hard brick, technology of actor can sufficient show very. The good actor can portray out the fine and smooth pattern, such as the trends of the flowers, the expression of the birds and beasts, can be portrayed out by the actor. Tools used for carving are all very sharp: The file, specially used for engraving the thin place, the flat knife specially carves the long-line line, the oblique knife is specially used for carving the side. Th...