Jingxi hydrangea, the unique stage of national crafts

Xingui.com-Contemporary Life Daily reporter Wei Molan

Among the many embroidery crafts in Guangxi, hydrangea is undoubtedly the most popular. It is the most exquisite. The Zhuang people have a long history of making hydrangeas. Zhou Qufei of the Song Dynasty recorded in "Lingwai Daida": "On the last day (March 3), men and women gathered together, each in a row, using five-color knots as balls, and sang. Throw it away and call it a flying camel. When a man and a woman meet, the woman will receive the camel and the man will be married." Now, the hydrangea has become the mascot of Zhuang Township in Guangxi and a national cultural messenger conveying love, family affection and friendship. It is also a symbol of our district. A representative of national and folk cultural handicrafts.

Jingxi County hydrangeas in Baise are the top-quality hydrangeas in Guangxi due to their unique structure, exquisite selection of materials, and all of them are made by hand. They are small, exquisite and brightly colored. Zeng I have made super-large hydrangeas for the collection of the National Museum of Ethnology in Japan. I also made super-large hydrangeas with diameters of 1.97 meters and 2 meters to welcome the return of Hong Kong and Macao. Now they are even more famous.

As an ethnic group in our district One of the resources of folk culture, the Hydrangea Village in Jiuzhou, Jingxi County is undoubtedly well-preserved. With the development of the tourism industry as the main method, the Hydrangea, a traditional ethnic folk cultural handicraft, can be inherited and carried forward.

Jingxi County, located on the southern border of our district, attracts many tourists for sightseeing every year. What fascinates tourists in Jingxi is not only the psychic Grand Canyon with a group of extremely high waterfalls that is rare in the world, but also the extremely ethnic characteristics of Jingxi County. "Folk operas" such as string puppet show, Nanlu Zhuang opera, and Niuhun opera, as well as the hydrangea, which is regarded by the Zhuang family as a token of love between young men and women. Walking on the "Jiuzhou hydrangea street", this street The streets built on the river have a unique atmosphere where ethnic customs and commercial atmosphere meet: slate floors, large blue brick walls, thick wooden doors, women sewing hydrangea are sitting at the door of ancient houses, and the streets are full of bright strips of cloth. , ribbons and silk threads. The ancient streets of Jiuzhou in Jingxi complement each other with the colorful hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas are made with skillful hands

It has a history of more than 1,000 years in Jingxi. When Zhuang When a girl has a sweetheart, she will embroider a delicate hydrangea stitch by stitch as a token of love. Nowadays, in Jiuzhou Street, people produce hydrangea and have formed several processes such as design, production and sales. The hometown of hydrangea There are also representative skillful hands such as the "Mother of Hydrangea" and "King of Hydrangea". They combine the actual production practices to embroider patterns with elegant style and full of ethnic flavor, and produce exquisite handmade hydrangeas one by one.

Huang Xiaoqin, the mother of hydrangea, who was named the "Smartest Girl in China", produces no less than 2,000 hydrangeas every year. On the eve of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, she organized 15 workers and worked hard for 20 days to design and produce them carefully. An extra-large hydrangea with a diameter of 197 cm composed of 30 petals was hung on it, with 6 small hydrangeas hanging on it, and embroidered with words such as "Hong Kong Return" and "Good Luck and Good Luck" to express the best wishes of the people of Zhuang Township for Hong Kong's return.

Huang Xiaoqin is mainly engaged in the design of new styles of hydrangeas. The hydrangeas she designs not only vary in size from 5 cm to 40 cm in diameter, but also have a dazzling array of patterns. Almost every batch of hydrangeas has different patterns. Usually the hydrangeas are of different sizes. There are many streamers at the joints of the petals, which Huang Xiaoqin thought could not show off the exquisite craftsmanship. So she omitted some of the streamers to fully reveal the exquisite workmanship. Looking closely at the hydrangea, the 31 petals are embroidered with lifelike phoenixes, cranes and vivid figures. The auspicious paintings of plum blossoms, roses, longevity flowers, etc., against the backdrop of a wide-edged red silk ribbon, are simple and elegant, showing nobility and profound meaning.

The "Hydrangea King" is a Zhuang nationality in his 40s. Zhu Zuxian, a man, produces more than 1,000 hydrangeas every year, and they all produce large models. He is also the president of the Jingxi County Hydrangea Technology Association, and has become a leader in the production and sales of hydrangeas. Zhu Zuxian grew up He studied painting and was recognized as the "number one" among those who painted hydrangeas in Jiuzhou Street. Now this "King of Hydrangeas" has his own hydrangea shop. During the peak tourist season, there will be an endless stream of customers. Shopping for hydrangeas at the counter. The hydrangeas of different sizes, fine workmanship, and bright colors attract customers from far away.

Now, there are 528 households on Jiuzhou Street in Jingxi County , almost every household produces hydrangeas, and people in Jiuzhou have found a new way to get rich by relying on hydrangeas. Although they only produce hydrangeas during slack periods, this alone can earn each person an income of 3,000-4,000 yuan per year.

>

Nowadays, hydrangeas from Jiuzhou have entered the market. In recent years, at the National Ethnic Games and the annual International Folk Song Festival, Jingxi hydrangea has become a hot commodity. There are also many from Japan, the United States, and Canada. Guests from countries such as the United Kingdom, Norway and other countries have purchased hydrangeas from the hometown of hydrangea, and many people have come to visit and buy them.

Exquisite hydrangea craftsmanship

The most exquisite hydrangeas are the first. The old artists in Jingxi use the ancient and complex embroidery technology of "Dui Embroidery" to make "Dui Embroidery Hydrangea". Generally, most hydrangeas use single thread embroidery to embroider various patterns on the petal fabric. The pattern is flat, the lines and colors are as beautiful as pictures, and the embroidery method and process are relatively simple; while the "pile embroidery hydrangea" using the multi-thread embroidery method has more exquisite graphics, extremely complex patterns, and the outlines are lifelike and extremely It has a rich three-dimensional sense, like something fresh and ready to burst out. It is the best among hydrangeas.

The earliest hydrangeas recorded in Jingxi contained crop seeds such as millet, cotton seeds or grains. In addition to using Hydrangea has a certain weight and is easy to throw. The deeper meaning is that hydrangea is an "auspicious thing". Because the Zhuang people are a traditional rice-growing nation, they are very concerned about the harvest of crops every year. Therefore, they are used in various sacrifices and praying for good luck. In rituals, crop seeds and forms of production labor such as sowing and farming are often the themes of the performance. For example, when the Zhuang people build a new house in rural areas, they scatter some grains at the four corners of the wall base; when erecting a beam, they hang two bunches of grain ears on the beam. ; To celebrate the birthday of the elderly, some polished rice is often given as a gift. These phenomena symbolize growth, fertility, prosperity, and peace.

Throwing hydrangeas is done every year during the Spring Festival and the "March 3" Song Festival. It is held at the time of spring sowing. The hydrangea contains grain seeds, which means hoping for a good harvest in the year. At the same time, the hydrangea, as a love object for young men and women, symbolizes fertility and prosperity. Today, the hydrangea is a symbol of fertility and prosperity. The skillful hydrangea hands continue to inject new vitality into the ancient art of hydrangea, allowing it to shine brightly again in the new era.

Jingxi hydrangea pays attention to hand-making, fine workmanship, and is mostly made of red. The base and fabric are made of three colors: yellow and green. Most hydrangeas have 12 petals, and each petal is embroidered with various mascots. Except for the middle four petals, the material selection is informal, and the other requirements are that "the upper four petals must be picked from birds, and the lower four petals must be selected." "As a beast". Due to its unique structure, exquisite selection of materials, and all hand-made, small and exquisite, bright colors, it is known as "the best hydrangea in Guangxi".

The ancient charm of hydrangea still exists

About hydrangeas, there is a beautiful legend circulating in Zhuang Township. It is said that more than 800 years ago, in a small village under Jiuzhou Ancient Town, Jingxi County, there lived a poor family. The son of the poor family, Adi, fell in love with He fell in love with Axiu, a girl from a neighboring village. Axiu was beautiful and kind-hearted, and fell deeply in love with her honest, hard-working and brave brother. One spring, while going to the fair, Axiu was raped by a rich man in the town. The powerful evil young man fell in love with Axiu and wanted to marry Axiu. Axiu threatened to die and refused. When the evil young man learned that Axiu was deeply in love with his brother from the neighboring village, in order to make Axiu give up, the evil young man decided to marry Axiu. As soon as he rolled his eyes, the plan came to his mind. He bribed the government, put Adi in the dungeon on "unfounded" charges, and sentenced him to death, waiting for the queen to be executed. After Axiu heard the news, it was like a bolt from the blue, and the whole Sun washed her face with tears and went blind from crying.

After Axiu cried blindly, Axiu began to sew hydrangeas stitch by stitch for her brother who was about to be beheaded in autumn. After my hand was broken, blood flowed on the hydrangea. After being soaked with blood, the flowers on the hydrangea became more beautiful, the leaves became greener, and the birds became more vivid. After ninety-nine and eighty-one days, Axiu and Adi were full of love. Deep in love, the hydrangea soaked in Axiu's blood was ready. After Axiu sold her jewelry, bribed the jailer, and accompanied by her family, she found the hydrangea in the dark and damp dungeon that she thought about day and night, but had already When Adi was tortured to the point of being skinny, Axiu became desperate and fumbled to take out the hydrangea from her body and put it on Adi's neck. At this moment, a flash of inspiration occurred, and Axiu, Adi and their family floated far away. At the foot of a beautiful and rich mountain in Devil.

Later, Axiu and Adi got married, gave birth to a son and a daughter, and lived a happy life relying on their hard-working hands. After a legend Ten, ten times spread, and slowly the hydrangea became the mascot of the people of Zhuang Township and a token of love for young men and women in Zhuang Township. Later, there were folk activities such as throwing hydrangeas and lions rolling hydrangeas.

Nowadays, throwing embroidered balls is still a popular traditional sport for the Zhuang people. Its history can be traced back to more than 2,000 years ago, when the balls used for throwing were bronze.

The ancient musical instrument "flying weight" was cast, and it was mostly used in combat and hunting. Later, the flying weight gradually developed into the current embroidered cloth bag, that is, the hydrangea. People often throw and catch each other for entertainment after dinner and play a role in communicating feelings. Function.

Now it has evolved into a way for young men and women of the Zhuang ethnic group to express their love. Song Zhufu's "Xiluan Congxiao" records: "On a few days of the customary festival, men and women in the wild are divided into two pairs, each with five-color bags of beans and millet. , back and forth."

Postscript

Nowadays, traditional national and folk culture has been bearing the challenge of modern civilization. Since the 1980s, under the impact of the wave of modernization, , the state of national folk culture has begun to decline, and traditional handicrafts have encountered new challenges. Most of the well-known arts and crafts industries, such as bodiless lacquerware, cork painting, bamboo weaving, etc., are in a difficult situation with few successors. We are happy to see that , in Jingxi, through the stitches and threads on hydrangeas, hard-working peasant artists have allowed more people to understand many legendary art stories and feel the unique connotation of the nation. These hydrangeas themselves may be more valuable than art. The gorgeous literature that historians have painstakingly created is closer to history, has more national characteristics, and can better express the essence of Zhuang traditional culture.

Currently, the local police in Jingxi County are doing more work for hydrangeas. Work: Speed ??up the registration of the trademark "Jingxi Hydrangea"; develop it as a key tourism project; let more "Hydrangea skills" join the production of traditional ethnic handicrafts... Hydrangea, a national handicraft that survives in tradition, is now It is continuing its artistic value in a new way.

Sisters Hydrangea Shop

Jingxi County once made super large hydrangeas (1.2m) for the collection of the National Museum of Ethnology in Japan. In recent years, The 1.97m and 2m super-large hydrangeas specially produced to welcome the return of Hong Kong and Macao have reached a new level. Jingxi hydrangea is an excellent tourism product of the Nanning International Folk Song Art Festival.

In order to facilitate domestic and foreign merchants to contact, For procurement, the "Guangxi Jingxi Hydrangea General Agency" has been set up in Baise City to handle wholesale business. It can also embroider specific words according to the other party's wishes (such as company name, brand, greetings, etc.). It also operates Zhuang Brocade hanging bags and embroidered shoes. , shawls, sachets, Bagua, longevity locks, wall hangings, and other handicrafts.

Jingxi Zhuang Brocade Zhuang Brocade is a traditional and precious national folk handicraft, using cotton yarn, silk threads of various colors and other raw materials. According to various carefully designed brocade patterns, they are hand-woven with ancient manual wooden looms. The patterns are colorful, beautiful, simple and elegant, and have high appreciation value. They are tourist souvenirs and gifts for relatives, friends and foreign friends. The best gift. As early as the 1970s, it was exported to the United States, Canada, Singapore and other countries. Jingxi Zhuangjin series products won the silver medal at the 5th International Asia-Pacific Expo in 1994.

The legend of hydrangeas is in Among the many embroidery crafts in Guangxi, the Zhuang people’s hydrangeas are the most exquisite. The Zhuang people have a long history of making hydrangeas. Zhou Qufei of the Song Dynasty recorded in "Lingwai Daida": "On the last day (March 3), men and women gathered together, each for They make balls of five-colored knots, sing and throw them, which is called a flying camel. When the male and female eyes are equal, the female will accept the camel and the male will be married." Roughly speaking, during the Spring Festival or the March 3rd Song Festival, young people of the Zhuang ethnic group will Both men and women went to the wild to hold hydrangea throwing activities. Using hydrangea throwing as a medium, many young men and women got married.

Now, the hydrangea has become the mascot of Zhuang Township in Guangxi and a symbol of conveying love, family affection and friendship. The ambassador of national culture has gradually become the most beautiful decoration in most families.

The old lady makes hydrangeas

There is a beautiful legend circulating in Zhuang Township about hydrangea. What happened was that more than 800 years ago, a poor family lived in a small village under the ancient town of Jiuzhou, Jingxi County. The son of the poor family, Adi, fell in love with Axiu, a girl from the neighboring village. Axiu was beautiful and kind-hearted. , and fell deeply in love with the honest, hard-working and brave brother. One spring, when Axiu was going to the fair, she was attracted by a rich and powerful young man in the town who wanted to marry Axiu. A Xiu threatened death and refused to comply. When the evil young man learned that A Xiu was deeply in love with his brother from a neighboring village, in order to make A Xiu give up, the evil young man rolled his eyes and took advantage of it. He bribed the government with " Adi was imprisoned in the dungeon on the charge of "unfounded" and sentenced to death, waiting for the queen to be executed. After Axiu heard the news, it was like a bolt from the blue. She cried all day long and her eyes were blinded by crying. After Axiu was blinded by crying. After losing her eyes, Axiu began to sew hydrangeas stitch by stitch for her brother who was about to be beheaded in the future. The needle pricked her hand and blood flowed on the hydrangea. After being soaked with blood, the embroidery on the hydrangea

The flowers are more beautiful, the leaves are greener, and the birds are more alive. After ninety-nine and eighty-one days, the hydrangea filled with Axiu's deep love for Adi and soaked in Axiu's blood is ready. In Axiu After selling her jewelry and paying off the jailer, accompanied by her family, she found the skinny Adi who had been tortured and thought about day and night in the dark and damp dungeon. He took out the hydrangea and put it on Adi's neck. At this moment, a flash of inspiration occurred, and Axiu, Adi and their family landed at the foot of a beautiful and rich mountain far away from the devil. Later, Axiu and Adi got married. , gave birth to a son and a daughter, and lived a happy life relying on their hard-working hands.

After being passed from one to ten, and from one to the next, the hydrangea gradually became auspicious to the people of Zhuang Township. It is a token of love between young men and women in Zhuang Township. Later, there were folk activities such as throwing hydrangeas and lions rolling hydrangeas.

It is understood that it is still practiced in Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and parts of South America and Mexico in Southeast Asia. In the region, local people also have the custom of making hydrangeas and giving them as mascots to relatives and friends. The hydrangeas made by Mexicans are relatively small, brightly colored, and usually only have 6 petals. During festivals or when distinguished guests come, the hospitable Mexicans will give them to relatives and friends. Hydrangeas as gifts from guests or elders represent good luck and good luck. Local residents in Thailand regard hydrangea as a substitute for Buddha, and believe that wearing it regularly has the effect of exorcising evil spirits and strengthening the body. According to literature, the Shan people (in present-day Shan State of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and other places), Rinan County (the southernmost county of Jiaozhou in the Eastern Han Dynasty, in today's Guangzhi Province, Vietnam) and today's Zhuang people have the same origin relationship with the Yue people in ancient China. Maybe this is the reason why they both love hydrangea.

The most exquisite hydrangea in the hydrangea category is the "double embroidery hydrangea" made by old artists in Jingxi using the ancient and complex embroidery technology of "double embroidery". Most of the ordinary hydrangeas are made of single thread Embroidery is used to embroider various patterns on the petal fabric. The pattern on the petal fabric is flat, with picturesque lines and colors. At the same time, the embroidery method and process are relatively simple; while the "pile embroidery hydrangea" using the multi-thread embroidery method is The graphics are more exquisite, the patterns are extremely complex, and the objects outlined are lifelike and full of three-dimensionality, as if fresh things are about to burst out. Count the best hydrangeas.

Connoisseur

< p> The earliest documented hydrangeas in Jingxi contained crop seeds such as bean millet, cotton seeds or cereals. This not only gave the hydrangea a certain weight and made it easier to throw, but also had a deeper meaning - the hydrangea was an "auspicious thing". Because the Zhuang people are a traditional rice-growing nation, they are very concerned about the harvest of crops every year. Therefore, in various sacrifices and blessing ceremonies, crop seeds, sowing, farming and other productive labor forms are often the themes. For example, in the Zhuang villages When building a new house, sprinkle some grains on the four corners of the wall base; when erecting a beam, hang two bunches of grain on the beam; and often give some polished rice as a gift to the elderly when celebrating their birthdays. These phenomena all symbolize growth, fertility, prosperity, and prosperity. It means peace. Throwing hydrangea is held every year during the Spring Festival and the "March 3" Song Festival. It is the spring sowing season. The hydrangea is filled with grain seeds, which means hoping for a "bundant harvest" in the year. At the same time, hydrangea serves as a symbol of youth. The object of love between men and women symbolizes "fertility and prosperity". Today, the outstanding sons and daughters of the Zhuang family continue to inject new vitality into the ancient art of hydrangea, allowing it to shine brightly again in the new era.

Jingxi hydrangea pays attention to hand-made and fine workmanship, mostly using red, yellow and green as the base and fabric. Most hydrangeas have 12 petals, each petal is embroidered with various mascots. Except for the selection of materials for the middle four petals, the remaining requirements are that "the upper four petals must be birds, and the lower four petals must be animals." In Jiuzhou Town, Jingxi, the "Hometown of Hydrangea", due to the unique structure of the hydrangea and the exquisite selection of materials, , and they are all hand-made, small and exquisite, with bright colors, and are known as "the best hydrangeas in Guangxi".

Hydrangea throwing is a traditional sport that the Zhuang people love to see, and its history can be traced back to 2000. Many years ago, the ancient musical instrument made of bronze - "flying weight" - was used for throwing, and it was mostly used in combat and hunting. With the progress of society and the improvement of material life, flying weight gradually developed into the current embroidery Cloth bag, that is, hydrangea. People often throw hydrangea to each other for entertainment after dinner and play a role in communicating feelings. With the development of history, it gradually evolved into a way for young men and women of the Zhuang ethnic group to express their love.

Throwing hydrangea It is usually held during the Song Fair Festival. The hydrangea is round, cloth-covered, embroidered with flowers and birds, and filled with kapok or crops such as beans and rice. The four corners are decorated with colorful cloth ribbons for holding and throwing. When playing, men and women are divided into

There are two pairs, with equal numbers. The men and women are separated by a certain distance, each on one side. Each side has a "圜同" who is the leader. A tall pole is built in the middle as the height standard for throwing the ball. When throwing the ball, the leader of the female team will first hold it. In Hydrangea, after singing a folk song, the ball is thrown out. If the man can catch it, the man wins, otherwise the woman wins. Whoever wins will remove one person from the opponent, and then the winner will serve. Every time the ball is served, it must be sung first. The folk songs take turns in this way until one side is "annihilated." At this time, the winning side chases the losing side, snatches the other side's headscarf and handkerchief, chases each other and plays, and then disperses after enjoying themselves. Song Zhufu's "Xiluan Congxiao" records: "The number of local customs festivals" On that day, in the wild, men and women were divided into two pairs, each carrying five-colored pods of beans and millet, and throwing them back and forth." This activity is also a way for young men and women to express their love. If a girl likes a young man, she will throw the hydrangea intentionally, and the man will catch the hydrangea. If there is affection, you can throw it on the hydrangea as a gift.

There are two forms of throwing hydrangea: one is the folk form. Young men and women stand on each side, the number of people is roughly equal, and the number of hydrangeas is not limited. The person who throws the hydrangea holds the ribbon on the top of the hydrangea and spins it several times to take advantage of the situation and throw it to the opponent. The person who catches the ball must clearly see the direction of the ball, choose the right position and angle to catch the ball, and make a graceful catch. If you fail to catch the ball, you will get a burst of laughter, or you may sing or play games to show that you are "punished". Therefore, during the process of throwing the ball, everyone is fully focused, nervous and enthusiastic.

The second is that as a formal ethnic minority traditional sports competition, it requires special competition balls and competition venues. The hydrangea throwing competition requires two participating teams, each participating team is composed of five male and female members. , the game is divided into two halves, each half is 20 minutes. During the game, points are scored by throwing the hydrangea over a 1-meter-diameter colored ring on a 9-meter-high pole. The team with the most points wins.

Jingxi Hydrangea Street

There is a street in Jingxi County, Guangxi, called Hydrangea Street. Hydrangea is a specialty of Guangxi. It is round and has long spikes hanging on it. It is a good gift. It is named after the hydrangea. A street, this is unique in China.

Striving for wonder

Jingxi County is known as "Little Guilin" because its mountains are karst mountains, and the mountains are strange and beautiful. It has a strange shape, clear and long water. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, the streets are dotted like Chinese paintings. This street was originally called Jiuzhou Street, which has existed since ancient times. There are more than 500 families living on the street. Due to the rich hydrangea, Passed from generation to generation, the business became more and more prosperous, and later it was called Hydrangea Street.

Hydrangea is a very exquisite handicraft, with thousands of stitches and threads connected to the wisdom and virtuousness of the daughter's family. In the past, Guangxi's When Zhuang men and women are in love, the hydrangea is a token of love thrown by the woman to the man.

Hydrangea Street is square and clean. It has old-fashioned brick houses and mottled mahogany pillar doors. , the bluestone roads of different heights fully demonstrate the cultural heritage here. Watching people in Jingxi making hydrangea, I found that they first paste the cloth shell, paste the silk cloth of various colors on the cloth base, and then cut it into petals. Then trace various patterns, and after embroidery, paste the petals, and then decorate them with beads and tassels. Usually, an hydrangea has 16 petals, and there are also 32 petals or more. It is usually a woman who sits at the door of the house making hydrangeas. Their serious attitude in doing their work is not sloppy at all. Every stitch and thread shows their skill. But sometimes you will see those tall and thick men on the hydrangea street patiently making hydrangeas. Don't think it's funny. , when it comes to craftsmanship, they are no worse than women. The fastest, best and most hydrangea kings on Hydrangea Street are men.

Hydrangea Street

Hydrangeas are a hot commodity during festivals or happy events. What is particularly gratifying is that as a tourist handicraft, hydrangeas have now left Hydrangea Street and abroad, with an annual output of more than 100,000. Every household on Hydrangea Street, From children aged seven or eight to old ladies aged sixty or seventy, they are all masters of making hydrangeas. Doors and windows are hung with colorful hydrangeas every day. Hydrangeas have become a kind of culture. Such a scene is rare in the world. You can only see it in Xiangqiu Street.