手牽指繞絕技從陜西街行來

◇ 文 |本刊記者 董 茜 圖 |受訪者提供

手牽指繞絕技從陜西街行來

◇ 文 |本刊記者 董 茜 圖 |受訪者提供

千足黃金拉絲造樓、和田美玉雕琢成臺、藍寶石祖母綠鑲嵌亭臺樓宇，一座以1:38微縮比例制作的“金玉圓明園大水法”，在北京圓明園遺址公園一經(jīng)展出就轟動全國。早在1998年，這座身價2.33億的“金玉圓明園大水法”在北京通過了國家級珍品鑒定。然而珍品背后，工藝師李昌義的名字卻鮮為人知。

遇見李昌義是在渝中區(qū)臨江門一棟居民樓，一間僅有50多平米的工作室里，堆放著各種不知名的器材。李昌義安靜地坐在案桌前，手拿著焊槍輕微地前后移動，鑷子上那塊銀薄片被烤得通紅發(fā)軟。

The miniaturized Old Summer Palace was exhibited in Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park, it caused a sensation across the nation.With millipede gold, nephrite, sapphire and emrald used to construct the pavilions, terraces and towers, it passed state-level treasure test in Beijing early in 1998 with the value of 233 million yuan.However, its maker, Li Changyi, was unknown to the public.

When I met him, he was working in a small and crowded workroom with only 50-squaremeters large, located in Linjiangmen, Yuzhong District.Sitting quietly in front of the table, he was moving the wielding pistol back and forth.The silver slice on the tweezer was roasted red and soft.

最后一塊“老骨頭”

The Last Piece of “Old Bone”

花絲鑲嵌是個手上過的慢工活，把金銀打塊、搓條之前，金銀必須先壓制成塊。雖然現(xiàn)在的機械已經(jīng)完全解決了壓制問題，但李昌義還是堅持手工壓片。成條的銀塊被放在拔絲眼里，隨著手指的牽動，一縷縷成絲而出。0.05毫米的銀絲，需要經(jīng)過好幾次拔搓，李昌義全程嚴肅臉，與窗外的車水馬龍似乎是相互平行而沒有交集。

傳統(tǒng)的金銀加工不外乎鍍金、熔金、鑄金、花絲等18種技法，趁著體息的空隙，李昌義說起自己的花絲絕技，從一件銀飾的設(shè)計到成品，最具價值也最能體現(xiàn)最高技藝的就是花絲工藝。一件花絲鑲嵌工藝的作品，包含扭、填、焊、堆、壘、編、織、穿等工序。這樣紛繁的工藝，在當(dāng)下黃金飾品制作中早已被摒棄，取而代之的僅是金銀加工中的簡單冷工藝。

“我23歲當(dāng)學(xué)徒的時候，光是練高精度焊接，就要幾年時間。”師出重慶金屬工藝廠的李昌義，總是把“精細點”掛在嘴邊，他還要求學(xué)徒要有美術(shù)功底，必須學(xué)習(xí)繪畫。他認為，創(chuàng)造力和與生俱來的美感，是花絲匠人的基本素養(yǎng)。“在我們這個行業(yè)里，幾年時間能出一個花絲技工。但要想出個大師，就要看素養(yǎng)了。”

嚴要求、高標準的技藝傳授，加上冬練三九、夏練三伏的長時間彎腰細雕，讓他不少徒弟知難而退。“徒弟要走，也很正常。畢竟我們這一行，路子窄，難出頭。”李昌義很清楚，如今市面上樣式新穎、設(shè)計時尚感強的金銀飾品，已是大勢所趨。他笑著說自己就是個不懂變通的“老骨頭”，堅守傳統(tǒng)技法，在花絲鑲嵌工藝中游走。身為省級工藝美術(shù)大師，他選擇淡然而執(zhí)著地精細打磨手中的飾品構(gòu)件。

Filigree decoration is a complex job.Gold and silver must be pressed into lumps before being rubbed into strips.Li Changyi adhered to handling these by his hands without using machines.With the master’s fi ngers controlling them, silver strips underwent wire drawing processing to become silk.To make the silver silk 0.05mm in diameter, he needed to rub the silver several times.He was so obsessed that the bustling outside world had nothing to him.

Traditional gold and silver processing involves eighteen kinds of techniques including gilding, melting, casting, fi ligree decoration and so on.While taking a break, Li Changyi talked about his fi ligree decoration stunt.He said that in the whole process of making, the most sophisticated technique was filigree decoration,which entailed a series of procedures including twisting,fi lling, welding, weaving etc.However, such a technique has given way to simple cooling technique in gold orna-ment production.

“When I was 23, I served my apprenticeship.At that time, it took several years to practice high precision welding.” Li Changyi always taught his apprentices the philosophy of “making it more delicate” and asked them to learn arts and drawing, which are compulsory for artisans.“In this fi eld, it takes several years’ efforts to make a fi ligree decoration worker, but it takes literacy to be a master.”

Li Changyi was extremely strict with his cubs,which made many a disciple beat a retreat.He never feels upset about that, because it is too hard to succeed while fashionably designed gold and silver ornaments are increasingly popular today.But he still holds fast to traditional techniques and handles filigree decoration skillfully.

陜西街上的輝煌

Glorious Times in Shaanxi Street

上世紀50年代，重慶金屬工藝廠尚處鼎盛時期，廠里單是花絲鑲嵌匠人就有200多位。到上世紀80年代，以首飾為主產(chǎn)品的訂單也能排起長隊，在供銷兩旺的年頭里，廠里曾創(chuàng)下過年產(chǎn)值1個億的記錄。而后的10年光景中，從沿海引進的先進設(shè)備和時尚設(shè)計理念，將市場拉開了一條大口子。消費者對飾品新樣式的需求，讓李昌義和同事們不得不面臨轉(zhuǎn)型。另謀生路的花絲鑲嵌工人，紛紛放下了工具，淡忘花絲鑲嵌帶來過的成就。

“抗戰(zhàn)時期，重慶的銀飾行業(yè)非常了得。那時重慶的銀樓、銀鋪就有200多家。大青樓銀樓、老鳳祥銀樓都是響當(dāng)當(dāng)?shù)拿帧！崩畈x從沒有忘記師傅講過的那段歷史。花絲鑲嵌傳統(tǒng)工藝發(fā)源于唐代，特別是在宮廷銀飾品中使用甚廣。花絲鑲嵌與景泰藍、玉雕、牙雕、京繡等八大工藝門類并成為“燕京八絕”。重慶的花絲鑲嵌起步晚，直到抗戰(zhàn)時期，才靠著從北京和江浙地區(qū)撤到大后方的諸多工匠將這一工藝帶到了重慶。天南地北的匠人，在重慶銀樓、銀鋪扎根，也使得重慶的花絲鑲嵌工藝融合多家流派之所長，進而創(chuàng)新了藝術(shù)設(shè)計，改良了技藝，讓重慶花絲鑲嵌獨樹一幟。

“特別是在陜西街一帶，匠人非常集中。”憑著老一輩的記憶，李昌義依稀能還原那時的場景。曾有“中國華爾街”之稱的陜西街，不僅錢莊、銀樓扎堆，就是走街串巷的擺攤銀匠，都能使上幾招拉絲鑲嵌的絕活，打造一些款式各異的金銀飾品。

In 1950s, Chongqing Metal Craft Factory was at its zenith when over 200 craftsmen worked on filigree decoration.By 1980s, the onslaught of orders, mainly jewelry, created an annual production of 100 millionYuan during the booming year.In the next decade, when advanced equipment and stylish design concept were introduced, it declined a lot.Consumers’ need for fashionable jewelry compelled Li Changyi and his colleagues to change, leave behind their achievements on filigree decoration and seek for a living.

Li Changyi always remembers the glorious history of the silver jewelry industry in Chongqing that his master told him.During the anti-Japanese war, there were more than 200 silverware stores and shops, including the famous Da Qing lou and Lao Feng xiang.Filigree decoration originated from Tang Dynasty and was widely used at court.Eight craft categories, including fi ligree decoration, cloisonne, jade carving, ivory carving, Beijing embroidery, etc.were called “the Eight Unique of Yanjing”.

Filigree decoration started late in Chongqing when numerous craftsmen withdrew from Beijing and Jiangsu-Zhejiang region to the rear areas in the wartime.They took handicraft skills to Chongqing and put down roots in silverware stores and shops, so that various schools of filigree decoration intermingled with each other accompanied with creative art design and improved techniques, making Chongqing filigree decoration one and only.

“Craftsmen were especially centered in the Shaanxi Street.” Li Changyi has a hazy memory of the scene according to the stories the older told him.Once called“China’s Wall Street”, Shaanxi Street was the hub of banks and silverware stores.Even the silver vendors mastered some exclusive skills to make all sorts of gold and silver jewelry.

甄嬛傳里的老手藝

Traditional Handicraft in the Hit TV Series

如今的陜西街，早已不見老鳳祥、老天寶、楊和慶、金雀釵等新舊銀樓競價搶客的景象。花絲鑲嵌工藝一度失傳，卻也因此顯得彌足珍貴。“再好的師傅，也要考慮吃飯。”李昌義知道，堅持手工制作銀飾才能體現(xiàn)技藝的高超，但這條路如果要走下去，未來如何無人知曉。

不過，持之以恒從來都是造就大師的必經(jīng)之路。

李昌義覺得自己是幸運的。因為堅守，他迎來了自己的收獲，同時也迎來了世人對花絲鑲嵌的認可。最近幾年各大衛(wèi)視熱播的電視劇《甄嬛傳》便是其中一例，它讓李昌義這樣的手藝人看到了花絲鑲嵌新的生機。

劇中，演員蔡少芬頭上戴的花絲燒藍點翠首飾，孫儷頭上的鳳凰金釵，后宮嬪妃們手指上長長的護甲套等等，全都得靠花絲鑲嵌技法制作。“據(jù)說這部戲的服裝購置費用上百萬，而花絲鑲嵌工藝制作的首飾費用就要60多萬。”李昌義很欣慰，一部熱門古裝劇，讓更多的人欣賞到了花絲鑲嵌技藝的精湛與美。更令他滿足的是，打造這些宮廷傳統(tǒng)飾品的主創(chuàng)，正是自己的關(guān)門弟子左書橋。對年過六旬的李昌義來說，這些成就意味著他這輩子最大的使命就要完成了。

Today, Shaanxi Street no longer witnesses the competitive bidding scene to attract customers among Lao Feng xiang, Lao Tian bao, Yang He qing and Jin Que chai.The handicraft of filigree decoration was lost in antiquity at one time; consequently, it is regarded as a treasure.“Even a skillful craftsman has to make a living.” no one knows what is the future of this technique.Nevertheless, Li believes that only hand-made silver jewelry re fl ected the splendid craft.

Yet, perseverance is always the essential way to be a master.

Li Changyi thinks he is lucky, because he has won harvest and seen the promising future of fi ligree decoration when it gains public reputation as fi ligree jewelries were shown in the hit TV series the Legend of Zhenhuan.

In the episodes, either famous actress Cai Shaofen,Sun Li or emperor’s concubines wear the ornaments of fi ligree decoration.“It is said that the costume costs up to one million, and making those fi ligree jewelries takes up over 600,000.” Li Changyi was satisfied that the blockbuster TV has introduced the handiwork to more.Also, he was proud that the chief designer of those works is his last disciple Zuo Shuqiao.Now in his sixties, Li feels self-accomplished as of the great mission throughout his life.

Master with Magic Fingers

Article | Dong Qian Pictures | Interviewee