Wood-turning and bamboo carvings

Wood-turning and bamboo carvings

　　Unique handicrafts of Mount Nanyue. With a long history, they were quite famous as early as during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. These items are known for their elegant shapes, exquisite craftsmanship, and practicality. Artisans use various types of carving tools to create different products based on the type and color of the wood, then add subtle embellishments—whether figures, birds and beasts, or mythological stories, all rendered with lifelike detail and vivid expression. There are also architectural replicas, such as ancient pagodas and Arhat Gate Towers. The range includes over 1,000 varieties. Wood-turned items include wooden boxes, palm-fiber bowls, gourds, table lamps, bed posts, table legs, drum-shaped chess sets, abacuses, toys, and teaching or research models; bamboo carving mainly features flower vases, tea canisters, flower tubes, and grain measures. With the development of tourism, to meet visitors' needs, Nanyue Town has established craft art factories producing thousands of wood-turned and bamboo carving handicrafts. Examples include “Ethnic Ladies” and “Ethnic Children,” which are vivid and lifelike, showcasing strong local flavor and ethnic styles. Pieces like “Li Bai Drunk” and “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” feature distinctly unique characters with appropriately exaggerated expressions. “Forest Band” brings a playful charm to various forest animals, often leaving viewers in fits of laughter.