Naxi Wood Carvings

Naxi Wood Carvings

　　In Naxi art, wood carvings are perhaps the most captivating. Wood carving art, even if not unique to the south, is certainly more prevalent there. Naturally, grand mansions are adorned with intricate carvings on eaves, windowpanes, doors, and furniture—but so are ordinary homes. The Naxi people are no exception, and their carving tradition is highly developed. Nowadays, as trends shift and new buildings and furniture are less often decorated with carvings, artisans have turned to other markets—giving rise to the uniquely distinctive Naxi wood carvings.

　　 Naxi wood carvings primarily use azalea wood as their material. This is a tall tree that blooms in April and May, typically so large that it takes three or four people to encircle it. Artisans carve on this wood using techniques such as line engraving, relief carving, and three-dimensional carving to create circular, square, and three-dimensional patterns. These designs are either figurative or abstract, all exuding a rustic beauty and ethnic charm. Some relief carvings evoke associations with African masks or Picasso’s paintings, while the line engravings remind one of the works of Ding Shaoguang and Yuan Yunfu. Some line engravings draw inspiration from daily life, depicting scenes of young women playing instruments, carrying loads, plowing fields, or planting, as well as tropical plants and flowers and birds. Others are based on heroic tales, portraying Sando, the Naxi warrior hero, clad in armor, with bow and arrows at his side, riding a horse with vigor.

　　There is also a type of carving done on gourds. It is said that the Naxi people once enjoyed decorating gourds with floral patterns, but today these gourds have largely lost their practical use and have become specialized handicrafts. The material used is not the gourds grown in the north, but rather pear wood and azalea wood. All these wood carvings are carved after being dried by fire, ensuring they neither crack nor warp. Hung on walls, they serve as uniquely charming decorations.