In Huli,
even the most ordinary corners
conceal fragments of rich cultural “fragments.”
As we reach down to pick them up,
a captivating world of intangible heritage unfolds before us.
Today,
let’s follow
Daria of Russia
and step into that wonderful world of Huli’s intangible cultural heritage.
The “Foreigners in Huli” series
rolls on with its third episode.
From a foreign visitor marveling at puppet theater’s backstage magic,
to an international friend tracing the etched beauty of Stone-Shadow Carving,
and now to an apprentice immersed in Cut Porcelain Carving,
With Cut Porcelain Carving as her needle
and China-Russia culture as her thread,
Russian girl Daria is patiently embroidering a “brand-new Silk Road ”heritage tapestry across the Huli District.
Wandering any Huli street,
and glancing upward by chance,
you may spot a marvel perched on a temple roof,
an extraordinary heritage craft,
— Cut Porcelain Carving.
Guided by a “waste-nothing” philosophy,
local artisans salvage chipped, discarded china, recut and mosaic the pieces,
and elevate them into rooftop artistic treasures.
Those vibrant dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and birds,
breathtakingly lifelike,
seem to whisper ancient stories into the wind.
Daria,
this Russian girl with an endless fascination for Eastern culture,
has evolved from a fresh-faced exchange student in Xiamen
into a full-fledged “cultural ambassador” now settled in Huli.
Living here,
she’s often seen weaving through its lively streets and quiet alleys,
soaking up the district’s unique cultural energy.
And whenever she walks past temples and ancestral halls,
those dazzling rooftop patterns always stop her in her tracks.
Curious and eager to learn more about this heritage craft,
she eventually found herself
at the studio of Chen Kaida, a recognized inheritor of Cut Porcelain Carving,
starting her journey into a marvelous world of traditional craftsmanship.
In the studio,
porcelain bowls shatter under hammer blows into piles of unremarkable fragments.
Yet in Chen’s hands,
these broken bits seem to be reborn
as treasure:
Phoenix feathers
and dragon scales shimmer
as these pieces find their “second act.”
Daria was amazed.
“This traditional craft is incredible!” she said,
barely able to contain her excitement
to try her hand at the art.
But
that’s when reality bites.
Between breaking and rebuilding,
ancient techniques and new beauty,
behind this “philosophy of shattered porcelain” lies
a surprisingly complex and delicate process.
As Daria learns by doing,
she feels the full weight of the challenge
and couldn’t hold back a sigh:
“It’s way harder than a jigsaw puzzle!”
As the Xiamen Special Economic Zone continues to flourish,
Cut Porcelain Carving adorns not only Huli’s temples and ancestral halls,
to become a distinctive “texture” in Huli’s cultural fabric,
but also enters campuses and marketplaces
through its new identity as creative cultural products.
Chen Kaida emphasizes that
introducing more people to Cut Porcelain Carving
is both a responsibility and mission for heritage bearers.
From his account,
Daria feels just how tough the road of heritage preservation can be.
Yet,
she’s thrilled that this age-old skill
is shining brighter than ever in the new era.
Daria said: “Six years ago, I came to China drawn by my fascination with Eastern culture. Since settling in Huli, my favorite pastime is simply roaming the streets and alleys. In the corners that locals might walk past without a second thought, I keep finding beautiful pieces of art I’ve never seen before.”
Up next in “Foreigners in Huli,”
we’ll meet someone new.
Which part of Huli
will he/she show to us?
Stay tuned!
