Guangzhou Ivory Carving

Guangzhou Ivory Carving

Guangzhou ivory carving is an intangible cultural heritage of Guangdong Province.

　　The art of Guangzhou ivory carving boasts a long history and is highly decorative, renowned worldwide for its exquisite craftsmanship, intricate detail, and translucent beauty. Located in southern coastal China, Guangzhou enjoys a mild and humid climate, which is ideal for the fine carving of delicate ivory. The material can be intricately layered and carved without becoming brittle.

　　Guangzhou ivory carvings are particularly known for their finely crafted ivory balls. The tradition is mainly passed down through master-apprentice and family lineages, using a manual workshop production model. Notable inheritors include Chen Zuzhang, Weng Zhao, Weng Rongbiao, Feng Shaoxia, and Li Dingning.

　　Origins

　　Guangzhou ivory carving has a long history, having developed to some extent during the Qin and Han dynasties. Its craft and production scale reached historic peaks during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and since the Republic of China, its techniques have become increasingly refined, establishing a unique place in the national ivory carving industry.

　　Ivory carving in the Guangzhou region began as early as the Qin Dynasty, and by the Jin Dynasty, the exquisite craft of ivory weaving had emerged. According to the "Book of Jin": "Che Yong served as the Governor of Guangzhou; his son Yidi sent artisans to weave ivory mats."

　　After the maritime ban imposed by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, Guangzhou became the sole port for foreign trade, leading to a large influx of ivory from Southeast Asia and other regions. This unique position provided a steady supply of raw materials for the ivory carving craft. Guangdong-style ivory carving developed its own distinctive characteristics, surpassing other regions in craftsmanship and ranking foremost nationwide. Just as painters from Lingnan held a unique status in the history of painting, Cantonese-style ivory carving also stood out in the Qing Dynasty’s ivory carving circles. As recorded in the "Guangzhou General Gazetteer": "It is said: Suzhou designs, Guangzhou craftsmanship. Aromatic rhinoceros horns, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, bamboo, wood, rattan, and tinware—all are unrivaled under heaven." Judging from the surviving quantity, exquisite skill, and intricate workmanship of Guangdong ivory carvings, their scale far exceeded that of ivory carving industries in Suzhou, Nanjing, Jiaxing, and Hangzhou.

　　Guangdong ivory carvings are characterized by their delicate and refined beauty. Items such as the ivory lamp and ivory mat preserved in the Palace Museum are recorded to be products of Guangdong. The components of the ivory lamp, apart from the frame, columns, top, lamp stand, and base, feature an illuminated section made of extremely thin ivory slices intricately carved with small perforations. The lamp is also adorned with magenta-colored ivory patterns. The ivory mat is woven from specially made ivory threads. These two typical ivory artifacts from Guangdong indicate that items such as the carved ivory flower basket, the carved ivory longevity amulet, the carved ivory gourd-shaped incense burner, and the ivory-thread-woven fan housed in the Palace Museum are likely works of the Guangdong school. Like other forms of arts and crafts during the Qing Dynasty, ivory carving reached its peak during the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns.

　　Records from the "Qing Archives of the Various Workshops of the Yangxin Hall Imperial Workshop" show that from at least the Yongzheng era (1723–1735) to the Xianfeng era (1851–1861)—a span of over a hundred years—Guangdong continuously supplied imperial court artisans skilled in ivory carving. The workshop employed anywhere from two to six such artisans, including the names of fifteen ivory carving masters: Chen Zuzhang, Li Yitang, Xiao Hanzhen, Huang Zhenxiao, Yang Weizhan, Chen Guanquan, Situ Sheng, Huang Zhao, Li Juelu, Yang Youqing, Yang Xiu, Chen Chen, Mo Chengji, Yang Zhi, and Huang Qing.

　　Craft Characteristics

　　Guangzhou ivory carving emphasizes carving skills and is world-renowned for its hollowing and deep-carving techniques. Over time, it has developed a complete and highly refined set of carving processes. Guangzhou ivory carvings are delicate and translucent, with great emphasis on bleaching the ivory and adding colorful decorations, combining refinement with accessibility. The works are known for their lustrous ivory material and exquisitely detailed carving, featuring complex and lively overall layouts without any blank spaces. Ivory carvings are often ingeniously inlaid with other materials such as rosewood, rhinoceros horn, tortoiseshell, and kingfisher feathers, enhancing the layering of patterns while showcasing sharp, magnificent, and ornamental knife work.

　　Products of Guangzhou ivory carving are mainly divided into three categories: first, decorative pieces, including ivory balls, flower boats, crab cages, flower towers, vases, birds, animals, figures, and rockery landscapes; second, utilitarian items, such as folding fans, table lamps, cigarette holders, mouthpieces, pen holders, powder boxes, seals, combs, chopsticks, toothpicks, bookmarks, paper knives, and chess sets; third, ornaments, such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, and brooches. Traditional masterpieces include ivory balls, flower boats, and vases, among which the ivory ball is the most famous. For instance, an 18-centimeter-diameter ivory ball can be carved into over 30 movable layers, each featuring various figures or floral designs, leaving viewers in awe.

　　Guangzhou ivory carvings come in a rich variety of styles and designs, with exquisitely fine carving skills and a strong traditional style and distinct regional characteristics. No matter the type of product, they are all deeply and delicately crafted, excelling in hollowing and openwork techniques, setting them apart in the realm of ivory carving. Artisans use a single, unbroken piece of ivory to create hollowed-out spheres of varying sizes and layers. The smallest ivory balls have just two or three layers, while the largest can have over 40, each engraved with patterns such as dragons, phoenixes, and flowers, all capable of smooth rotation. A 20-plus-layer ivory ball created by Guangzhou ivory carving artists won a Special Craft Award at the 1915 Panama International Exposition. Crafting an ivory ball involves multiple steps: selecting the ivory, rounding it, drilling holes, layering with a hook knife, and finally carving patterns layer by layer.

　　Among the hollowed-out works of Guangzhou ivory carving, grand flower boats are also famed creations. The hulls of these boats are shaped like dragons and feature 2 to 7 tiers of pavilions. Some boats are adorned with up to 3,000 miniature figures, along with flags and lanterns, all vividly crafted in dynamic poses, creating a spectacular sight. There are also full ivory carvings made from a single tusk, such as fishermen casting nets, fully carved crab cages, and ancient-costume ladies.

　　In terms of carving techniques, Guangzhou ivory carving is mainly divided into two categories: round carving and through carving. Round carving is used for solid, three-dimensional works such as figures, animals, and mountain-and-water landscapes; through carving is used for delicate, openwork pieces like flower boats, vases, flower towers, crab cages, and ivory balls. The Daxin Road Guangzhou Ivory Craft Factory is one of the world-renowned manufacturers of ivory carving, enjoying a high reputation both domestically and internationally.