How rich the clumps of
green bamboo,
Around the Chi coves;
Their grace leads my thoughts
to our Duke Wu:
As if fashioned by knife and file,
Wrought like jade by chisel and craft,
Their way is grave, serene.
Forceful is the Duke,
Accomplished, elegant in mien—
Images for eternity.
Though bamboo is a widely distributed plant, the Chinese people seem to love it above all others, their keen interest being constantly demonstrated in their every artistic expression—in painting, calligraphy, carving, poetry, even music and dance.
The literati of ancient China loved to compare the bamboo to a "man of virtue," possessing the attributes of perseverance, modesty, and honesty within a noble and incorruptible character.
Su Shih (1036-1101), the renowned Sung Dynasty man of letters, once wrote that, "Without the (characteristics of) bamboo, men become unbearably vulgar." Su's frequent reference to the bamboo as a "gentleman" bespeaks his dedication. Once, he described an ink painting featuring bamboo as, "The ink gentleman on the wall, who understands not a word—yet, by merely looking at him, we make all our worries disappear."
The artists followed the shape and grain of root-wood to recreate favorite—and appropriate—scenes and figures
Hsiao Yueh of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) included bamboo in his paintings because of its grace. Wen Tung of the Sung Dynasty, a critical admirer of poetry, calligraphy, and paintings featuring bamboo and other elements of nature, declared, "Bamboo differs from the grasses and trees by virtue of its hollow heart (humble mind) and its rigid nodes (firm integrity)."
The ancient Chinese not only admired the graceful form of the bamboo, but excelled in depicting it. The pens of poets and painters made the living plant the chief subject of their creative works. Artist-carvers of the scholar class, going a step further, turned the bamboo-wood itself into artistic works of great exquisiteness. Bamboo carving, though an ancient Chinese folk art, seems today to have attracted relatively little attention, despite the fact of its development into a significant art form by artist-carvers of the scholar class during the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1643). These artists felt about wielding a carving knife as they did about wielding a pen—an irresistible challenge to creativity. Characteristics of their carvings include great delicacy of detail, an unctuous surface, manipulation of a range of warm amber-like colors, and a deliberately tactile nature—giving such objects immediate and readily accessible attractions.
To the Chinese, the bamboo is a plant of infinite versatility. The young shoots are cooked and served as a delicacy; the stem is used for construction, for furniture, and for domestic utensils; thin strips cut from its outer layer are made into baskets, cages, hats, and mats; the fibrous substance of the stem is beaten into pulp for paper.
A very long time ago, the Chinese people made writing brushes by fitting animal hairs into bamboo stems. And long before the invention of the writing brush, the more ancient Chinese were able to engrave Chinese characters on bamboo tablets by means of "knife pens," made from bamboo slips. This was the fountainhead of the art of bamboo carving.
Tomb relics from the Warring States Period (403-222 B.C.) and the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-219 A.D.) include the earliest known crafted bamboo implements, including lacquered bamboo ware, bamboo fans, and a bamboo hairpin dating from the Han Dynasty; and bamboo bows, baskets, sleeping mats, boxes, writing-brush handles—and even a balance with a bamboo beam—from the Warring States Period.
The Book of Southern Chi records the presentation of the earliest known artistic item of carved bamboo, a ju-i scepter, by Emperor Kao (479-482) of the Chi Dynasty to a virtuous recluse. But the earliest extant bamboo carving is a Tang Dynasty flute, now in the collection of Shoso Yin of Japan.
The detail in the carved miniatures can, very often, only be described as extraordinary
According to historical documents, during the reign of Emperor Kaotsung (1127-1161) of the Sung Dynasty, Wu Hsi-an and Chan Cheng in Anhui Province engraved vivid designs of palaces, mountains and waters, and human figures on bamboo tablets. The meticulous detail, beauty, and grace of their artistry won their style the designation, the "Wan School." During the latter phase of the Ming Dynasty, as more and more carvers and literati with affection for the carving arts joined the field, techniques made giant strides.
During the Ming Dynasty, Li Wen-fu and Pu Chung-chien of Chinling (Nanking) were noted for bamboo works depicting flowers, birds, insects, and animals; their artistic leadership became known as the "Chinling School."
The so-called "Che School" included Chang Hsi-huang, Chien Kai-tao, and Chou Meng-po, known for innovations, especially for the "skin-reserved" technique.
Chu Sung-lin of Chiating, Kiangsu Province, modified previous carving methods developed by Pu Chung-chien and pioneered in deep carving techniques, to become the founder of the famous "Chiating School."
Chu Ho, Chu Ying, and Sun Chu Ya-cheng—three generations hailing from Chiating during the Ming Dynasty—are best known for their high relief and round techniques, and are considered by many to be the most outstanding bamboo carvers in Chinese history. Such followers as Chin Yi-chueh, Shen Han-chuan, Shen Yu-chuan, and Shen Chien are also noted for their high relief and round works.
Carving Master Li Yao of Chinling, of the Ming Dynasty, specialized in carving flowers and plants on fan frames. Pu Cheng, of the same dynasty, carved portraits while following the natural grain of bamboo roots.
Chang Hsi-huang of Chiasing, Chekiang Province, modified the "skin-reserved" technique of the Tang Dynasty, and the resulting bamboo artistry during the Ching Dynasty outshone that of previous periods. Chu Jen Lu (a record of bamboo carvers from Chiating) notes that of the 68 listed carvers, 6 lived during the Ming Dynasty, while 62 were of the Shun-chih Period of the Ching Dynasty. Among these, Chou Nai-shih was noted for bamboo groves and plantain trees; Wu Chih-yao for his chu ti relief technique (artistic works are carved in low relief, making the subject stand out, and a blank area around the four sides serves as a background); Feng Hsi-lu specialized in figures and Buddhist statues; Chou Ying was famous for incised mountains and waters, trees and stones, and bamboo groves. Ku Chueh won fame for his famous ancient personalities, and for depictions of mountains and waters. Pan Feng-hsi, having excellent command of the various carving techniques, became the supreme carver after Pu Cheng.
Bamboo lent itself to pattern-carvings as well as scenes and figures
Bamboo carvings of the early Ching Dynasty, on the one hand, evolved from traditional techniques of earlier date, and on the other hand, introduced some modifications. Various carving techniques can thus be seen in the extant Ching pieces.
However, by the reign of Ching Emperor Chienlung (1736-1796), the old techniques were revived and again became prevalent. Carved bamboo works imitating the ancient styles appeared one after another. As a result bamboo pieces gradually became numerous, but artistic style grew rigid—into fixed forms. Figures were applied via the tsao ti technique (carving the surface first into a texture of orange skin, sand, or walnut shell, especially on fan frames) The chu huang technique, first popular in the 18th Century, was again an important bamboo carving form in the 19th Century. Huangyen and Fenghua in Chekiang Province, Chiating in Kiangsu Province, and Shouyang in Hunan Province became the major bamboo carving centers for the chu huang technique.
The Chinese artists' very scrupulous, painstaking studies resulted in numerous superb works. However, wars, general chaos, and social upheavals during the closing years of the Ching Dynasty combined with the difficult-to-preserve material of the bamboo pieces to almost obliterate the creations of the centuries. Collection of surviving bamboo carvings has become one of the most important efforts for art collectors.
One such collector, Taiwan attorney Chan Tsung-yi, recently placed on exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei, nearly four dozen precious bamboo carvings and other articles, attracting a continuous stream of viewers.
"Chance" is Chan's explanation of his own infatuation with the delights of antique collection. But over the past 40 years, he has left nothing to chance in his efforts to preserve Chinese antiquities—often, for certain precious objects, making special trips abroad as well as to the remote areas of the island. He particularly enjoys exchanging items and knowledge with other collectors; in this vein, he and 30 others organized the "Pro-Antiquities Association" many years ago, but the group was dissipated in recent years because so many of its members had moved to other parts of the world or passed away.
Chan's total collection includes far more than bamboo—jade articles, porcelains, divine statues, paintings, sculptures—but also, Chinese writing brushes, ink, paper, inkslabs, aboriginal artifacts, embroideries, and fine furniture. In order that the public may view and appreciate these collected items, Chan has designated a spacious first floor gallery of his home the Wen Pao Tang (Hall of Cultural Treasures).
"Bamboo carvings can be divided into stem carvings and root carvings, according to the material," Chan comments. "The bamboo stem, often made into penpots and cylindrical vessels, is cut six inches below a node and about one inch above and inverted. The hard root, with gnarls or tendril-like protrusions, is used for making figures, animals, mountain and water scenes, pen rests, seals, and utensils."
Famous bamboo carvers were usually quite serious in their selections of suitable bamboo material. The favorite species is mao chu or nan chu, which has a thick wall with a fine grained texture. Three-to-four-year-old bamboos are most appropriate for carving. Too old or too young bamboo breaks easily during the drying procedure, because the grain texture is not fine enough, Chan said.
Old China shared with Old Holland, the wooden shoe—In this case, bamboo wood
A bamboo considered good enough for carving is pulled up with the root. The stem is cut into several sections, whose usable parts are then soaked in boiling water for at least half an hour. The boiled-bamboo sections are stored in a cool room corner for two years before use—except those intended for fan frames. Before carving, the bamboo is skinned, unless it is intended for "skin-reserved" carving.
Since carvers of the different schools excelled in varying techniques, knowledge of the bamboo carving skills helps in appraising and classifying their works. Types of carving include finely incised, lightly engraved, deeply carved, "skin-reserved," low relief, high relief, open work, carving in the round, and chu huang (cutting the bamboo skin into strips with different designs, then sticking the strips to a wooden base—often to make boxes or paperweights).
A finished carving was polished by scouring rushes, or more recently, with abrasive papers. After waxing, the piece is shined by means of a walnut wrapped in a polishing cloth. If the piece is a carved root, then most of the time, it is burnished by means of a coir brush.
There is a big difference between techniques for bamboo carving and carving of other woods. Due to the combination of the bamboo's thin and brittle surface and its strong and durable cellulose fibers, the carver can make no mistakes with his knife.
The bamboo root's bizzare shapes have led root carvers to the exercise of more imagination than have regular bamboo slices.
The colors of such carved pieces vary from lemon yellow through dark brown—the older the piece, the darker its hue. The most popular tone is amber with red. Stains include nitrous acid and logwood dye.
When cleaning or resurfacing a bamboo piece, sharp scraping cutters, soaps, detergents, and shoepolishes are harmful. The correct substances for such purposes are tung oil, shao hsing wine, and huang wine. The ideal temperature for preserving bamboo items is 20°C (with 60 percent humidity).
In the vast history of Chinese art, bamboo carving's time as an artistic form occupies but a short period. Only in the second half of the Ming Dynasty did it reach the realm of art, rising from its regular habitation in practical use. The new art flourished greatly during the closing years of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Ching, finding its permanent niche in the vast domain of the Chinese arts.
One item of note is that during the dynastic millenia, there was a distinction between arts dominated by the court and those favored only by scholars. During the Ming and Ching Dynasties, the ceramics industry had already become a court-dominated art, while bamboo carving was still outside the court circle. Although the Emperors of the Ching came to accept bamboo carving as an art, its prestige ranked far behind the ceramic arts.
Also, since bamboo carving was not dominated by the court, accurate dating of bamboo antiquities is often made difficult. The lack of reign marks, dates, and carvers' signatures results in uncertainty about authenticity as well as date.
A main way to appraise bamboo ware, therefore, is to rely on experience, while taking reference of other carved pieces that do have actual date marks.
With woodcuts, the printing style helps to authenticate the date of the work. But, despite the difficulties of assessments, the collection and appraisal of fine carved bamboo antiquities remains an elegant adventure, an artistic endeavor with rich rewards.