Editor’s Note: This article is produced in collaboration with the Chongqing Institute of Foreign Studies, as part of a series of ongoing reports exploring the city’s abundant resources in intangible cultural heritages.
Kingfisher craft, also called Tian Tsui, is rarely seen in life. However, we can enjoy its exquisitism on television. Only when we know more about it, do we feel stunned at the traditional Chinese craftsmanship.
Tsui is pronounced as “Cui” in Chinese. It is also called “Cui Yu,” which is the emerald feather of a kingfisher. The blue jade and white plume of bird’s breast are the common material needed to finish the artwork of Tian Tsui and only the kingfisher’s turquoise blue and violet-blue feathers can be called as the best material to make this artwork. Because kingfishers are so small and their feather is so fine that it takes a lot of small creatures’ lives to make even a delicate flower. Therefore, people substitute these birds’ feathers with some imitations, including blue silk, dyed goose feather, peacock feather, blue paper, which are normally used to make costumes.
People use Tian Tsui to void the consumption of rare gems, which just helps to discover the beauty of Cui Yu. The beauty of the artwork of Tian Tsui lies in its gorgeousness. These magnificent manual skills have been shining in all ages with its unique quality of the metal, complex and luxuriant decoration of the filaments, and its brilliant and vibrant color of the emerald.
The skill of Tian Tsui developed into its prosperity in the 1940s and was favored by many people. However, due to its complicated production process and relatively high price, it is too expensive for ordinary people to purchase. Today, it is Zuo Shuqiao who truly carries forward the intangible cultural heritage of Tian Tsui.
Zuo Shuqiao has been fond of opera since he was a child because his grand families had a little command of Tian Tsui. Later, he came into contact with the Tian Tsui skills when he was a graduate student at Southwest University. But he must learn how to set filaments before learning Tian Tsui. After much effort, he finally became the disciple of Li Changyi, the inheritor of the intangible culture of Chongqing filament Mosaic.
Zuo Shuqiao has two studios, one for making filaments and ornaments, and the other for taking photos of the Palace. He also promotes the Qing Dynasty costume culture and intangible cultural heritage through photography. Liu Zi, the author of “Empresses in the Palace,” also came to Zuo Shuqiao’s studio to take a group of photos of the Qing Dynasty palace. Zhen Huan, the main character in “Empresses in the Palace,” has been made up with Tian Tsui ornaments in her hair. But the real Tian Tsui headdress of the Qing Dynasty royal family is a bit brutal and cruel, because the “Cui Yu” must be plucked from the body of a living kingfisher to ensure the bright and gorgeous color. Of course, today’s Tian Tsui doesn’t need “live bird plucking” anymore, but in other ways to show the beauty of this art.
All traditional artworks of Tian Tsui are flat, which causes its lack of stereoscopic effect, compared with western jewelry. Zuo Shuqiao finally knows that the metal can emerge stereoscopic effect with the skill of Wuhu iron picture after his much inquiries. On this basis, Zuo Shuqiao designed stereoscopic Tian Tsui, making the artwork more flexible and vivid.
Nowadays, there are only fewer than 20 craftsmen in China who have the skills of Tian Tsui, and Zuo Shuqiao is the only one in the southwest of China. The inheritance and development of traditional craft need more people to know, feel it, and then promote it.
(The original article comes with a Chinese version authored by Gao Hongmei (advisor/Jing Xi) as well as an English version translated by Xie Yuxin (advisor/Zhang Jin, Wei Jingjun), and was later narrated by Chen Qinwen (advisor/Lei Yu), all of whom are students and teachers from Chongqing Institute of Foreign Studies.)