Hengshui's Three Wonders
Goldfish, Houdian writing brush, snuff bottle
The palace goldfish in Hengshui is Mr. Xu Licai, the tenth generation descendant of "Goldfish Xu" in Beijing Breeding Chinese Goldfish.
1. The origin and variation of China’s “goldfish”
Goldfish is China’s national treasure, and its ancestor is wild crucian carp.
The Chongzhen engraving of the Ming Dynasty "Compendium of Materia Medica" infers the ancestor of goldfish: "Jin Hengchong visited Mount Lu and saw a red-scaled fish in the lake, and that was it." This is also the earliest time when "red fish" was discovered in existing data, with a history of about 1,700 years ago. Li Shizhen also recorded that the types of goldfish include carp, crucian carp, loach, etc. "Loach" is the most rare, and "golden crucian carp" is the most durable. There have been livestock since the Song Dynasty, and now people everywhere keep them for fun. "The goldfish in the Song Dynasty were mainly ordinary crucian carp with golden orange color. "Golden crucian carp" was the original name for goldfish. People at that time were full of mystery about the bright colors of crucian carp. During the Kaibao period of Song Dynasty (968 AD), the Wuyue Kingdom became the first Ding Yanzan, the third governor of Xiuzhou (Jiaxing), discovered golden crucian carp in a pond outside Jiaxing City. The pond was therefore converted into a release pond. In addition to golden crucian carp, there were other fish and turtles in the pond, and the capture of them had been prohibited since the Song Dynasty. Some of the golden crucian carp were fed in small ponds owned by officials and nobles, and the fish-feeding industry came into being. The "History of Zhi" written by Yue Ke (1214 AD), the patriotic general of Yue Fei in the Southern Song Dynasty, recorded very interestingly: "Today's Zhongdu. If there is a snake fish, the fish that can be transformed into will be golden, with crucian carp as the top priority and carp as the second. Many people in Guizhou carved rocks into pools and placed them in the huts for playing. When asked about his skills, he refused to tell me. Or it is said that if you feed all the fish with small red worms in the city's canals for a hundred days, they will become the same. At first it is as white as silver, then it gradually turns yellow, and over time it becomes gold. I haven't had time to test whether I believe it or not. There is also a Ruoqi painting with snow texture and ink seal, which is called hawksbill fish, and its literary talent is particularly impressive. "(The goldfish at that time included carp and crucian carp, but why do people believe that the ancestor of goldfish is crucian carp and not carp? Modern scientific research has proved this. Japanese biologist Ishihara and others once used the serum of goldfish and crucian carp for precipitation. Reaction tests have proved that goldfish and crucian carp are the same species. Professor Chen Zhen of my country also pointed out that crucian carp and goldfish have the same scientific name.) Dai Wei's "Shu Pu" (1241 AD) and Wu Zimu's "Meng Liang Lu" (1274 AD). It is recorded in the book that the fish industry specializes in raising and selling goldfish, and the fish industry uses small red worms and shrimps in urban sewage pits to feed goldfish. Artificial selection and breeding were carried out. However, golden crucian carp was still very wild in the Song Dynasty, and raising fish in livestock ponds was not affordable for ordinary people. The mutation of golden crucian carp was very slow.
The huge variation of goldfish. The formation of excellent varieties is mainly the result of the synergy between changes in living conditions and artificial selection. The name "Golden Crucian Carp" appeared in 968 AD, which shows that the crucian carp initially only mutated in color, changing from gray to golden red. , people began to pay attention to and raise them. By 1214 AD, two varieties appeared: white and piebald. At this time, they were just changes in color. After 1276 AD, fish farming in wooden pots and clay pots became more popular. , the goldfish's activity space became smaller, it swam slowly, and its feed was completely dependent on artificial supply. These created conditions for its body and organs to undergo major changes. By 1547, goldfish were not only kept in pots or tanks, but also limited to 40-50 meters near the water surface. centimeters. The adjustment of water temperature, supply of bait, removal of dirt, replacement of fresh water, etc. all rely on the skills of fish farmers. This huge change in living conditions has caused huge changes in the physiology, development, and morphology of goldfish. Changes. For example, the long and narrow body shape became a round and short egg shape, and the strong single tail fin became a soft, long, inclined tail. Some of the dorsal fins were incomplete, and some were completely different from their ancestors. The name of goldfish was separated from the word "crucian carp" and was called five-color fish, man fish, cinnabar fish, fire fish, and finally collectively called goldfish. By 1643, goldfish had mutated into double tails, five-flowered fish, double hips, and long tails. Fins, short bodies and other varieties. From 1848 to 1925 AD, conscious artificial selection and breeding began, and a large number of works recorded the hybrid genetics and breeding methods of goldfish. Various mutations occurred in various departments, such as small black eyes mutated into bulging eyes, sky-gazing eyes, blister eyes, cinnabar eyes, etc. During this period, black dragon eyes, lion heads, goose heads, sky-gazing eyes, blister eyes, pompoms, etc. appeared. Excellent varieties such as blue gill, blue and purple pearl scales.
From 1163 to 1925, goldfish mutated into 19 species. Double tails, double hips, short bodies, and long fins became the unique mutation processes and morphological characteristics of these 19 species of goldfish. The genetic factors of goldfish are unstable. Among the fish that hatch each time they lay eggs, in addition to those that are the same as their parents, there will be many "foreign" fish with obvious differences in shape. So far, there are about 162 stable goldfish species, divided into two categories: dragon species and egg species. Dragon species refers to fish with dorsal fins, eyeballs protruding outside the orbits, and large tail fins, such as longan. Egg species refer to species with no dorsal fin, duck egg-shaped body and small tail fin, such as tiger head, blister eyes, pompon, sky-gazing eyes, blister eyes, etc. If goldfish are classified from the perspective of evolutionary history, grass species and cultural species should also be added. The main characteristics of grass species are long and narrow body shape, flat pointed head, small eyes, and single tail fin. It is a recent ancestor of goldfish. Wen Zhong refers to a goldfish with pointed ends, a pointed mouth, small eyes, a dorsal fin and four large tail fins. It is a descendant of the Leather species. Goldfish breeding in my country is divided into two major schools: north and south, one is Hangzhou goldfish and the other is Beijing goldfish. Hangzhou is the birthplace of goldfish, and Beijing has further developed new goldfish species.
2. The historical story of "Goldfish Xu"
The Goldfish Xu family's ancestral home is Ningjin County, Shandong Province. The ancestors mainly worked in the business of carrying burdens and walking around the streets and making pots and bowls. Later, they became obsessed with it. I started raising "little red fish". After several failures, I finally succeeded, and accumulated a lot of experience, and gradually formed a scale. So I sold small goldfish while making pots and bowls, and later started a fish farming business. Later, his family moved to Jinan Prefecture, and his fish farming skills also became famous in Jinan.
According to legend, Emperor Qianlong went to the south of the Yangtze River for a tour and returned to Beijing. One day, accompanied by two eunuchs, he was relaxing in the imperial garden. He walked to the release pond and frowned at the dozens of red fish swimming in the water. , asked Eunuch Liang next to him: "When I was patrolling the south, I once saw red fish in Jinan. It is beautiful and colorful, and it is lovable. Why not send it!" The emperor's words played into Eunuch Liang's heart, and he immediately knelt down. Di Qizou said: "Replying to Lord Long Live, I have an aunt named Xu who is the best fish farmer in Jinan Prefecture. If Lord Long Live likes it, I will send him to him to raise palace fish specifically for Lord Long Live and serve the emperor." Emperor Qianlong said: "You can do it quickly." So, the Xu family, who raised goldfish in Jinan Prefecture, packed up their clothes and entered Beijing. The Xu family entered Beijing and set up their base camp at "Moujiajing" on the east bank of the "Gold and Silver Pond" outside Qianmen (about a mile northwest of the north gate of Today's Temple Park). At that time, the "Gold and Silver Pond" had many pits and ponds, many springs, and good water quality. After sorting and excavation, nearly a hundred fish pits and fish ponds of various sizes were formed to raise goldfish. The "Gold and Silver Pond" was naturally called the "Goldfish Pond." After the ancestors of the Xu family entered the palace, they used their unique skills to raise goldfish until they were fat, large, and colorful. Emperor Qianlong was so happy that he even said: "It is a national treasure. He is truly a master of fish farming. Let me call your Xu family Goldfish Xu." From then on, the capital city had the imperial title "Goldfish Xu".
Since Xu Licai’s great-grandfather Xu Wenyuan and above, all of his ancestors have been raising fish in the palace. Xu Licai’s great-grandfather Xu Guozhen and his third grandfather Xu Guoxing both took turns picking up the best goldfish varieties bred by their family every year after the 23rd day of the first lunar month. The fish is handed over to the palace, and then managed and raised by the Xu family in the palace. Every time a fish meets the palace, it will be rewarded by the emperor. The palace fish delivered are firstly of fresh species, secondly they are big in size, usually about one foot, and thirdly they are heavy in weight, mostly seven or eight taels. The dorsal fin of the goldfish is tied with a red-headed rope, but it cannot be damaged. The containers for raising fish in the palace were mainly large porcelain basins fired from the official kiln in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province. Later, they were large wooden basins made of cypress wood. They were 5 feet in diameter and 40 centimeters high. They were painted with red or green paint and had three lines. Yellow golden iron hoop. In addition, there are specially made sixteen sets and eight large sets of stucco pots. Xu Wenyuan and others of his generation, such as Xu Wenfu, Xu Wenkui and Xu Wenhai, fished for fish from the release pond in the palace garden every year after the cold dew, selected species and put them into the fish cave (greenhouse) to spend the winter, and their lives were stable. The Xu family near the "Goldfish Pond" quickly prospered, with a population of nearly a hundred, and they lived in a concentrated area, known as "Xu Yiwo". The nearby Mou family was called "Mou Yizhai" because of their similar residences. The Zhang family, known as "Zhang Yiyi", became the three major fish farming families on the east bank of the "Goldfish Pond". After Xuantong abdicated, the Xu family no longer paid "palace fish" and could no longer eat "imperial food". In order to make a living, the Xu family brothers divided their families and opened fish farms respectively, including "Quanhai Fish Farm" opened by Xu Licai's great-uncle Xu Guodong, "Yongxing Fish Farm" opened by Xu Guoxing's third uncle, Xu Licai's great-grandfather Xu Guozhen, Grandfather Xu Guosen and third grandfather Xu Guorui inherited the "Laishun Fish Farm" founded by their father Xu Wenyuan. Due to the turmoil in the current situation, the business of raising goldfish was in a slump, and the family fortunes were declining day by day.
Xu Licai's father, Xu Shiying, has eight brothers. They run their own small fish farm and do odd jobs to make ends meet. As the eldest brother, Xu Shiying raises fish in the summer, pulls ice in the winter, and does all kinds of odd jobs. He worked as a footman at Nanyuan Airlines in Beijing every morning, carrying one or two hundred kilograms of stuff. In the afternoon, he worked as a waiter and ticket seller at the theater. In the evening, after the show, he went to the Goldfish Pond to pull ice at the Yaojia Ice Bridge. He worked hard all year round. One day in October 1947, two sick and wounded Kuomintang soldiers suddenly came to the Xu family fish farm to look at the fish. As they watched, they began to catch the fish, causing the fish to move around in their hands. Xu Licai's mother saw it and felt pain. With his heart in mind, he ran over to snatch the goldfish and put it back in the fish tank. He argued with the Kuomintang wounded and sick, and was punched by the Kuomintang soldiers. They then picked up bricks to smash the fish tank, but people persuaded them to leave. The next day, two wounded The soldiers called five or six helpers, armed with whips and crutches, and they were about to smash the fish farm as soon as they entered the house. It happened that Xu Shiying had just entered the house and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him. An officer named Zhang recognized Xu Shiying from Dashilan City, Beijing. The waiter of Tongle Theater, and he often went to watch the theater for free, which somewhat gave the Xu family some face, and the Xu family's fish farm was saved from a disaster. The hardships of life have not stopped the Xu family’s tradition of raising goldfish. “Goldfish Xu” has never made a fortune raising fish in ten lifetimes, but why has this craft not been discontinued? Elder Xu Shiying said: “The trade passed down from our ancestors is so poor. No matter how hard it is, I have to maintain it. I feel sorry for my ancestors if I lose it. Besides, I feel so happy and comfortable with such a beautiful thing. Without it, I feel like I have lost my soul and can’t sit still..." When Beijing was liberated, the Xu family still provided two poles, one was the pole used by the ancestors to carry pots and bowls, and the other was the pole given by Emperor Qianlong. In addition, the "Goldfish Xu" pole, as well as court clothes and boots were preserved. , waist badges, etc. were burned to the ground during the Cultural Revolution. Nowadays, only one piece of "Laishun Fish House" gold flat plate is preserved, which is about one meter long, 60 centimeters wide and 8 centimeters thick.
After liberation, "Goldfish Xu"'s fish farming technology received government attention. In the early 1950s, not long after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India, the Indian government presented my country with an elephant as a token of friendship. In 1955, on the 60th birthday of Indian Prime Minister Nehru, Premier Zhou Enlai presented a symbol of "Deer and Crane Spring Together" and "Peace" on behalf of the Chinese government. "Friendly" cranes, sika deer, and goldfish as gifts in return. Xu Jinsheng (Xu Licai's uncle), who was only in his twenties at the time, took on the important task of escorting a hundred precious goldfish. When the plane arrived in New Delhi, Prime Minister Nehru came to receive the gift in person, which became a good story. Xu Licai's father, Xu Shiying, worked as a "fish handler" for the embassies of the Soviet Union, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Japan in 1954. In 1958, he served as the manager of the goldfish farm in Zizhuyuan Park, Beijing. In 1971, he moved to the Tiantan Park goldfish farm in Beijing as the director. After retiring in 1985, he became the director of the Beijing Ornamental Fish Farm (Nanwan, Beijing) and served goldfish all his life. In 1990, Xu Shiying passed away in Hengshui
Hengshui Goldfish
Xu Shiying once said before his death: "The Xu family and Hengshui are destined, the two words 'Xu' and 'Heng' It was all written by the Shuangli people, and in the middle of the word 'heng' is the word 'fish', and the word 'hengshui' contains fish and water, so it is a treasure land for raising goldfish." Although it is a joke in life, go to Hengshui Laishun Goldfish Farm to see the graceful and elegant "gold-scaled fairy" in the blue wave pool, with red as gold and white as silver. "Peony in the water", I just sighed that this statement is true.
When Xu Licai was in his 20s, he caught up with the "Cultural Revolution" and was "transferred" to remote rural areas in the Heilonggang Basin of Hengshui. Even in this era of "political leadership", he still lived frugally, saved money to buy books on fish farming, studied it carefully, and secretly raised goldfish after working hard. In 1982, Xu Licai was hired by the Hengshui Garden Office to build the China Park Goldfish Breeding Farm. After the hardships of the "Goldfish Xu" family, they had another place to use their talents. Xu Licai, who was proud and proud, officially started his ancestral business.
Although goldfish are small, they are difficult to breed. From the selection and cultivation of goldfish, to the care of male and female spawning, egg development and hatching, to the care of young fish, all require very meticulous technology. There are eight sentences for the choice of fish alone: ??"Healthy and disease-free, with a thick and even body. The tail is large and upright, and the eyes are even and well-proportioned. The body is upright and round, and the mouth circumference is wide. It grows well and has no external injuries. It swims in the water. , stable and straight. The body pattern is plump and plump. The dorsal and caudal fins are intact. Only when the genes are stable can it be qualified. "It often takes several years or even more than ten years for a good goldfish species to be cultivated and mutated to ensure inheritance. time.
Xu Licai's father once used the only "Goose Head Red" to cross with two male "Qi Blush", and after 5 years, he successfully bred the standard "Goose Head Red". In the early 1980s, the Chinese court in New York At the goldfish exhibition, the "Goose Head Red" variety was sold out for US$1,200. On the basis of inheriting a large number of ancestral skills, Xu Licai adopted excellent varieties and boldly innovated. He not only bred "Red Dragon Eye Ball" by crossing "Red Dragon Eye Ball" and "Red-headed Dragon Eye Ball", but also used "Red-White Flower Egg Ball" and "Red-headed Dragon Eye Ball". The "Five-flowered Dragon Eyes" was hybridized to produce the "Five-flowered Dragon Eyes", and the "Red-White Dragon Eyes" and the "Red-headed Dragon Eyes" were crossed to produce the "Twelve-Red Dragon Eyes" with 12 red patches on the fish. The "Twelve Red Dragon Eyes" that have been lost for more than 400 years have reappeared in the world. According to the law of "male head, female tail", he used the cross between "Red Dragon Eye Ball" and "Black Peony" to breed "Mopa Red Ball", which is called a rare product in the goldfish world. In October 1986, at the China Flower Exhibition held at Shekou Sea World Amusement Center in Shenzhen, the standard "Magpie Flower Dragon Ball" with a snow-white belly, a black head and two dark blue stripes on both sides of the fish body going straight to the tail was obtained. Hong Kong businessmen praised it, calling it "rare in the world." In 1999, Xu Licai brought nearly a hundred precious tails of 25 varieties including "Tiger Head with King Character, Purple Silk Robe with Red Ball, Goose Head Red, Red Lion Head, Crane Top Red, Eyed Lion Head, Red Butterfly Tail, and Purple Lion Head". Goldfish participated in the Kunming World Expo and explained a lot of goldfish breeding knowledge to the endless visiting groups. While demonstrating Hengshui's exquisite skills in cultivating goldfish, it also gave people a glimpse of the simple and kind personality of "Goldfish Xu". Over the past few decades, Xu Licai has cultivated and rescued more than 10 species of top-notch goldfish, such as "red-headed sky-gazing, tiger-headed blister-eyed, agate-eyed, white-crown", etc. He also bred "purple lion head, red ball purple robe and The "King of Pearls" and "Red Headed and Eyed Hat" were awarded the second and third prizes respectively by China Flower Association and Shanghai Flower Association.
The scale of the goldfish farm is constantly expanding. Now it has been moved to the Laishun Goldfish Farm on the west side of the People's Enterprise Park in Hengshui City. The water surface has reached 800 square meters, and it produces hundreds of thousands of goldfish annually, with 64 varieties. Among them, the more precious ones include "red crane crown, king-shaped tiger head, cinnabar eye blisters, magpie flower dragon eye ball, twelve red dragon eyes, orange petal lion head, red rabbit tiger head" and so on. Hengshui palace goldfish are continuously sold to Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States and my country's Hong Kong and Macao regions. The goldfish symbolizes peace, friendship and beauty, and has become a golden scale ambassador that enhances friendly exchanges between my country and other countries in the world. Li Xiannian, Wang Renzhong, Lin Liyun, Liu Lantao, Rui Xingwen and other national leaders and foreign tourists visited Hengshui Goldfish Farm and gave high praise. On April 6, 1989, Chairman Li Xiannian held Xu Licai's hands after visiting the fish farm. , cordially praised him for "bringing glory to Hengshui". On April 20, 1998, Fei Xiaotong, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, honorary chairman of the China Democratic League and famous economist, wrote an inscription for the fish farm, "It is a national treasure that we cherish and cherish and pass it on to future generations."
In this ancient civilized country of ours, the four elegances of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, as well as the four elegances of flowers, birds, insects and fish, have enriched and nourished the spiritual life of generations of Chinese people. Today's Hengshui Palace Goldfish has the grandeur, wisdom, grace, elegance and beauty and exquisiteness that are deeply embedded in ancient civilization and originated from nature, allowing us to appreciate the breadth and depth of spiritual civilization in the enjoyment of extremely rich material civilization. May the charming and delicate goldfish grow more brilliantly and elegantly in the treasure land of Hengshui; may the goldfish career in Hengshui continue to prosper and add to the spiritual and cultural heritage of mankind.
Houtian pen-making industry began in the second year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty and flourished in the Qing Dynasty. According to legend, during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a pen maker named Li Wenkui in Houdian who opened a brush shop called Houdian brush in Beijing. Because of the excellent brush making, he was spotted by a eunuch who loved calligraphy. Once, he recommended Li Wenkui's brush to Emperor Guangxu. When Guangxu used it, it was really good, so he named it the "Royal Imperial Brush". As a result, his reputation became so great that literati and officials in the capital rushed to buy Li Wenkui's "Houtian brush". The pen store is also prospering day by day. Since then, Houdian's unique brush-making craftsmanship has been passed down from generation to generation
Houtian brushes are also called "Hou brushes" and were called Xiang brushes in ancient times. It began in the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of more than 500 years. It was regarded as an imperial palace in the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, Hengshui is known as the "Holy Land of Brushes" and "Hometown of Brushes in the North". There are more than 270 kinds of Houdian brushes. The pens are long and hard, with a balance of hardness and softness. The ink is full but not dripping, and the writing is smooth but not stagnant. Mainly produced in Houdian Village, Taocheng District, "the hometown of Hengshui brushes".
The nibs of Houdian brushes are made from various animal hairs such as yellow wolf tail, fragrant fox tail, southern mountain wool, sheep whiskers, white horse hair, ox ear hair, etc. The pen barrel is made of moso bamboo, purple bamboo, mottled bamboo, Xiangfei bamboo, hyacinth bamboo and other materials. The roof of the mouth can be installed in various styles such as teeth, bone, horn, bamboo, hardwood, etc. The production technology is exquisite, the style is novel and the appearance is beautiful. In particular, the high-end pen holder is made of materials such as mahogany, boxwood and ivory, and is carefully carved with patterns such as two dragons playing with beads, dragons and phoenixes in auspiciousness, twin phoenixes spreading their wings, phoenixes playing with peonies, costume figures, landscapes, flowers and trees, etc., which is like the icing on the cake. Each piece has both practical value and exquisite and elegant arts and crafts. It is deeply loved and appreciated by calligraphy enthusiasts at home and abroad.
The pen-making process is divided into more than 300 manual operations such as water basin, odd jobs, dry work, lettering, and color decoration. A strict inspection and acceptance system is implemented throughout the entire process to ensure product quality is stable and reliable. Many of Houdian's brushes, such as "Fengyun", "Shuiyue" and "Xiaolanghao", have been designated as "trustworthy inspection-free products" by Tianjin Port. Houdian writing brushes sell well in more than ten countries and regions including Japan and Singapore, with annual export volume reaching more than three million pieces
The origin of snuff bottles
The custom of snuff smoking originated from tobacco Inventor Indian. Around the 14th century, the Italians selected fine tobacco leaves, mixed them with mint, borneol and other medicinal materials, ground them into powder, sealed them in cellars for aging, and produced commercial snus over several years.
Han people began to take snuff in the Ming Dynasty. In the late Ming Dynasty, very few snuffs were imported, and only one place in Guangdong was smoked. Kangxi opened the sea ban, and Western missionaries brought a large amount of snuff and glass bottles containing snuff. Smoking snuff gradually became a fashion. The prime ministers of Western countries sent snuff and glass snuff bottles as tribute, first to Portugal, then to Britain, France and other countries. Emperor Qianlong often rewarded princes and ministers with snuff. This practice gradually became a social fashion.
A snuff bottle is specially used to hold snuff. In order to be easy to carry, it is generally the size of a pack of cigarettes. Among the surviving relics, there are more than 20 snuff bottles with bronze sculptures of Yunlong made by Cheng Rongzhang of Shunzhi, which are the earliest snuff bottles. Kangxi had a special liking for Western handicrafts. He recruited a group of Westerners who were proficient in glass snuff bottle making and enamel painting to make snuff bottles in the Forbidden City. The art of snuff bottles reached its peak during the Qianlong reign. The collection of snuff bottles became popular, and the use of snuff bottles gradually became secondary. All the techniques of traditional Chinese art: painting, calligraphy, porcelain firing, glazing, jade grinding, rhinoceros smelting, tooth carving, bamboo carving, lacquer picking, nesting, embroidery, gold and silver inlay, mother-of-pearl inlay, yellow paste, etc. are all used On the snuff bottle. During the Qianlong period, snuff bottles became a tool used to show one's status in rich fights.
The legend of the snuff bottle
There is an interesting legend about the formation of the inner painting. In the last years of Qianlong, a small local official came to Beijing to work. He was an upright person and an honest official. I hope that be processed through normal channels. Due to the low efficiency of court officials and the lack of bribes, his affairs were delayed again and again despite waiting for a long time. A local official ran out of money and food and had no choice but to stay in a temple in the capital. He was addicted to snuff. When the snuff in the glass snuff bottle ran out, he would use a cigarette stick to dig out the snuff stuck to the wall of the bottle. , many scratches were formed on the inner wall. This snuff bottle was seen by a scheming monk. Through experiments, the monk used a bamboo stick to bend and cut out a pointed tip, dipped it in ink and drew a picture on the inner wall of the transparent snuff bottle. This unique painting was born.
The original painted snuff bottles were transparent glass bottles with no frosted inner wall. Because the inner wall was smooth, it was difficult for ink and color to adhere to it, so only some simple pictures and patterns could be painted, such as: grasshopper, cabbage, dragon, and phoenix. and simple landscapes, figures, etc. Later, artists used iron sand and emery and water to grind back and forth on the inner surface of the snuff bottle. This made the inner wall of the snuff bottle look like milky white frosted glass, delicate but not smooth, and easy to adhere to the ink color. The effect Just like rice paper, the snuff bottles with interior paintings later appeared in some more sophisticated works, and later developed into fine works of art that include poetry, calligraphy and painting.
How are snuff bottles made?
Snuff bottles are a traditional handicraft that began in the Ming Dynasty and flourished in the Qing Dynasty. Snuff bottles with interior paintings appeared in the late Jiaqing and early Daoguang years. It is painted in a transparent pot with a special tiny hook-shaped paintbrush.
The original painted snuff bottles were transparent glass bottles with no frosted inner wall. Because the inner wall was smooth, it was difficult for ink and color to adhere to it. They could only be painted with some simple pictures and patterns, such as grasshoppers, cabbage, dragons, phoenixes and simple landscapes and figures. Etc. Later, artists used iron sand and emery and water to grind the inner surface of the snuff bottle back and forth. This made the inner wall of the snuff bottle look like milky white frosted glass, which is delicate but not smooth and easy to adhere to ink. The effect is like rice paper, with snuff painted inside. Later, some more sophisticated works appeared on the pot, and later it developed into a fine art with both poetry, calligraphy and painting.
Hengshui Yihuzhai Crafts Co., Ltd. (formerly Hengshui Special Crafts Factory) is the birthplace of the "Ji School" painted snuff bottles. Founded in 1972.
After snuff was introduced to China, the Chinese first used traditional medicine bottles to hold snuff. On this basis, they used a variety of materials and production techniques to perfect the snus containers. During their use, they found that this kind of bottle with a large mouth and a small belly is more beneficial for storing snus. It can ensure that the snus does not deteriorate even after long-term use. It is easy to carry and the style has traditional Chinese beauty, so it is loved by snus smokers. In the Qing Dynasty of China, snuff was very popular among the emperor and the common people. The feudal nobles headed by the emperor were extremely extravagant. The snuff bottles they used often collected precious materials and were designed and manufactured for them by skilled craftsmen. Some international collectors believe that snuff bottles are a miniature art that embodies the culmination of Chinese arts and crafts.
Snuff bottles are divided into materials:
Metal, jade, organic matter, ceramics, paintings inside the container
Introduction:
Snuff is ground in a very It is made by mixing fine high-quality tobacco powder with musk and other precious medicinal materials, and aging it in sealed wax pills for several years or even decades. Smoking this smoke plays a certain role in relieving fatigue. It originated from the American Indians and was later discovered by European travelers exploring the Americas. They were brought back to Europe and quickly became popular. At that time, everyone in the French court, including kings, princes, princesses, and servants, sniffed each other and regarded it as a fashion. Napoleon I was also a snuff lover. According to records, he consumed more than 7 pounds of snuff every month.
Hengshui Laobaigan
Hengshui's special Laobaigan is one of the famous local liquors in Hebei, ranking first in the province's light-flavor liquor.
The brewing history of Hengshui Laobaigan wine has a long history. According to written records, it can be traced back to the Han Dynasty and was officially named in the Ming Dynasty. The brewing and production of Hengshui wine basically continued without interruption in 1900.
The traditional brewing technology of Hengshui Laobaigan Liquor has been passed down from generation to generation. Hengshui Laobaigan Liquor is carefully brewed using high-quality sorghum as the raw material, pure wheat koji as the saccharification fermentation agent, and the traditional Laowu steamer technology and the two-row clearing technology, as well as ground vat fermentation. With her unique production technology, she has created a typical style that is fragrant and elegant, mellow and soft, sweet and refreshing, and has a long aftertaste. Today's Hengshui Laobaigan people, while adhering to the traditional brewing process, continue to research, explore and improve, and have established a complete set of processes to make the product quality more stable day by day. As a result, Hengshui Laobaigan wine has its typical style and strong, soy sauce and light aroma. The first-class liquor is established in the Chinese liquor forest.
Hengshui Laobaigan has enjoyed a high reputation since ancient times. In the Ming Dynasty, Hengshui wine had the reputation of "three drunk families separated by a wall, and the fragrance spreads ten miles away". It is said that when the Hengshui wooden bridge was built during the Jiaqing period of the Ming Dynasty, there was a famous "Deyuanyong" hotel in the city. The bridge builders often came here to have a drink. After drinking, they praised: "It's so clean and easy to work!" Name: "Lao Baigan". The so-called "old" refers to a long history; "white" refers to the clear quality of the wine; and "dry" refers to the high alcohol content, reaching 67 degrees. Its taste is "fresh fragrance, sweet taste in the mouth, and lingering fragrance after drinking". In the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), it participated in the Panama Treasures Competition. In the 37th year of the Republic of China (1948), it was exhibited in Hungary. In 1952, it was one of the famous specialties of the motherland and was sent to the Korean battlefield as a condolence gift.
Fuyang River
The Fuyang River originates from the southern foot of Fushan Mountain in the Fengfeng Mining Area of ??Handan, so it is named Fuyang River. It flows through Handan, Xingtai and Hengshui. It is located in the Cangzhou area. After the confluence of the county and Hutuo River, it is called Ziya River. With a total length of 402 kilometers, it is a backbone river for comprehensive utilization such as flood control, irrigation, drainage, and shipping.
A long time ago, shipping and irrigation along the river developed. Historically, the Fuyang River was the main shipping line from Handan to Tianjin, with many ships passing by. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, there was also a ship donation bureau, warehouses and hotels in Cross River, Ningjin County, where business travelers gathered. Until the mid-1950s, cargo ships still plied the river, and 510,000 acres of land could be irrigated along the river.
Since the 1970s, due to the large amount of water used for industrial and agricultural production in the upper reaches, the river water has decreased, and the river flow has often stopped except during flood seasons. Shipping has been replaced by land transportation.
In the past, the Fuyang River was large in size at the top and small at the bottom. It is curved, and its water passing capacity is not suitable for the incoming water. During the flood season, it cannot discharge enough, and floods often cause disasters. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, many treatments were carried out. Bridges, barrage gates, and culverts were built along the river, and a floodway was excavated to the Liulei River to reduce the pressure of floods on the downstream. Now the total water-carrying capacity of the Fuyang River has increased a lot compared to before. It can pass safely in the event of a 1963-type flood, basically eliminating the flood hazard in the Fuyang River.