Artisans carve out cultural paths at Bengbu forum

At a concert held during the sixth annual conference of the Taihu World Cultural Forum, Gabriele Morandin, an associate dean at the Bologna Business School, enjoyed hearing The Caprice of the Belt and Road, a work blending musical elements from countries taking part in the initiative.

"This work of music describes the friendship between the countries today, and predicts the fruitful discussions between us going forward," said Morandin at a seminar titled "past and future of China-Italy cultural exchanges" about the protection and development of traditional crafts, held in Bengbu in East China's Anhui province on Nov 18 as part of the cultural forum.

Experts from both China and Italy attended the event.

"China and Italy are the starting point and a destination on the ancient Silk Road, and both countries have a history of communication," Lin Cunzhen, deputy director of the School of Design at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, said at the forum.

"In the 21st century, the two countries are even more closely linked through the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Traditional Chinese crafts, with their history of several thousand years, are carriers of Chinese culture. On the other hand, Italian crafts are famous worldwide, both for their long history and their contemporary appeal," said Lin.

Antonio Farese, director of the board of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, described the development of handicrafts throughout human history. He said although industrial production techniques may have replaced many old crafts now, "the spirit shown in making handicrafts can still be seen in modern creative design, and serve as the basis for modern industrial production".

"Crafts are not only a way of working, but also a way of thinking," said Farese.

This notion was echoed by Li Bosheng, a national-level inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Beijing jade carving, who described the influence of this art form on his way of thinking.

"Carving jade is just like cultivating myself according to some kind of natural doctrine," said Li.

He started to learn the craft at the age of 16, and has been engaging with it for some 63 years.

"I feel at peace when I'm carving jade, and sometimes I feel that the jade is shaping me as well."

Morandin offered a method adopted by many famous Italian brands to promote traditional crafts.

"Gucci now has craftsmen demonstrating their skills in their shops, where potential buyers can see how their products are made with their own eyes. Fendi has also adopted this method.

"In this way, the products are not only made for potential buyers, but also attract people who are interested in the techniques used to make these products."

He also suggested that people should not necessarily strive for perfection when they are making handicrafts, as learning by trial and error is an important way for artisans to hone their skills.

Another seminar called "preservation and development of China-Japan intangible cultural heritage" which discussed similar topics between China and Japan was held on the same day.

Kato Sobei, executive vice-president of the Junior Chamber International Japan, cited one example to show the importance of protecting traditional culture.

He noted that many Japanese people no longer drink tea made in a teapot, which is a long-held tradition in both China and Japan. Instead, people drink bottled tea now since it is more convenient. But many Chinese people still keep up the tradition to enjoy better-tasting tea.

"It's very easy to forget about traditional culture since there are so many convenient products constantly appearing in our lives. But we should not lose this precious culture," said Kato.

Chinese and Japanese experts also offered suggestions on how to attract more young people to learn traditional crafts.

Shimizu Jun, a craftsman who is an inheritor of the traditional Japanese craft of suigetsu ceramics, said, "I used to play with mud and sand in my childhood and developed an interest in making ceramics, but young people now grow up playing video games and don't develop a similar interest during adulthood."

He suggested that children, especially those between the ages of 5 and 12, should be given more opportunities to learn traditional handicrafts, so that it might plant a seed in their hearts in later life.