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Huizhou Woodcarving
** Confucianism & Folk-Customs Carved in Huizhou Wood From the very beginning, Huizhou Woodcarving has been laden with distinguished cultural values that are connected with folk customs. For this reason, scholars dubbed the works of Huizhou Woodcarvings as "an epitome of Huizhou culture." Most of them can be read as an embodiment of Confucianism in view of the subjects widely used in woodcarvings such as loyalty, harmony, forbearance, and academic achievements.
Besides, the worship of kings and emperors was another theme reflected in Huizhou woodcarvings, which embodied local people's hope for wise and capable feudal rulers who could grant them better living conditions. The concept of a harmonious and all-generations-under-one-roof lifestyle was equally valued in ancient Huizhou. Thus, on wood archways and beams there largely exist the engraved cheerful images of family life shared by different generations. Meanwhile, notions of forbearance and conciliation were also depicted in Huizhou woodcarvings. One popular story applied to this kind of woodcarving was associated with the minister Zhang Gongyi of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). A legend goes that when the Tang Emperor Gaozong asked Zhang Goingyi how the latter's family members from nine generations could manage to live under one roof peacefully, Zhang presented the emperor with a paper scroll written in 100 Chinese characters of ren, which means forbearance or conciliation. Afterwards, Zhang and his households were praised for being a "model family" and awarded with gold and jewelry in that their moral idea and practices were vital to the stability and prosperity of feudal society.
In addition, the ideal of diligence and academic achievement is also popular among Huizhou woodcarvings, for in feudal society academic merits could lead to high official posts that could bring about honor, power, and fortune. What's more, a large number of Huizhou woodcarvings drew inspiration from
mythical legends and classical Chinese literature like Xixiang Ji (Romance of
West Chamber), Shi Yu Zhuo (Love Story Behind a Jade Bracelet), and San Guo
(Romance of Three Kingdoms).
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Among the Confucian ideas, filial obedience was the core concept of
feudal moral principles. A case in point is the window carvings entitled "the 24
Filial People," which can be found in many existing old buildings. The simple
and vividly portrayed images and stories helped spread moral ideas among
ordinary Chinese.
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