舒姝
初秋周日的午后,杭州小營(yíng)街道梅花碑社區(qū)門口的巧手工作室內(nèi)人頭攢動(dòng),魯立清正在教小朋友們剪紙,他引人入勝的解說(shuō)徐徐打開(kāi)了剪紙藝術(shù)世界的大門。不到半小時(shí),孩子們的作品躍然紙上,雖然是簡(jiǎn)單的一個(gè)“囍”字,孩子們臉上驚喜和雀躍溢于言表?!斑@是我們老祖宗的東西,不能丟?!濒斄⑶迕恐苣┒紩?huì)在工作室免費(fèi)教小朋友甚至是大朋友剪紙,今年暑假他的工作室走出了400多位學(xué)生,有的還將剪紙藝術(shù)帶到了海外。
匠心獻(xiàn)禮十九大
魯立清是一位新杭州人,老家在“雜技之鄉(xiāng)”河北吳橋,民間藝術(shù)的這股血液與生俱來(lái)。早在1995年,他就獲得由聯(lián)合國(guó)教科文組織授予的“民間工藝美術(shù)家”稱號(hào),出訪文萊,給蘇丹國(guó)王現(xiàn)場(chǎng)表演,享譽(yù)國(guó)內(nèi)外。
步入魯立清的工作室,宛若步入一處民間手工藝術(shù)的世界,墻上掛滿了各式各樣的剪紙作品,美不勝收。魯立清是吹糖人出身,又自學(xué)剪紙、面塑、皮影戲等,妻子王玉枝也是一位剪紙藝術(shù)好手,兒子魯兵是一名雜技演員,名副其實(shí)的藝人之家。去年他家和全國(guó)300多戶家庭一起,獲得了首屆全國(guó)文明家庭的稱號(hào),這也是杭州唯一一戶獲得此殊榮的家庭。
黨的十九大召開(kāi)前夕,魯立清、王玉枝夫婦精心制作了剪紙作品,并寄去賀信,代表所有從事民間藝術(shù)的工作者,祝愿?jìng)ゴ笞鎳?guó)國(guó)泰民安。穿著傳統(tǒng)中式服裝的魯立清小心翼翼地打開(kāi)卷軸,巨幅剪紙作品上,祥云與和平鴿寓意中國(guó)人民愛(ài)好和平,巧妙嵌入了高鐵、航天、“一帶一路”等諸多元素,飛馳而過(guò)的“和諧號(hào)”動(dòng)車組在紙面上栩栩如生,象征國(guó)泰民安的元素和諧又自然地圍繞在習(xí)近平總書(shū)記身邊。整幅作品耗時(shí)半年之久,創(chuàng)意構(gòu)思就長(zhǎng)達(dá)3個(gè)月,魯立清深切感受到這五年來(lái)中國(guó)的發(fā)展與變化,然而要把欣欣向榮的變化展現(xiàn)在一幅作品上并非易事。
緣定杭州
相傳,吹糖人的祖師爺是劉伯溫,至今已有600多年歷史。據(jù)說(shuō),朱元璋為保住自己的皇位,造“功臣閣”火燒功臣。僥幸逃脫的劉伯溫,被挑糖擔(dān)子的老人救下,從此,劉伯溫隱姓埋名,挑著擔(dān)子走街串巷。賣糖路上,劉伯溫創(chuàng)造性地把糖加熱后做成糖人。這門手藝一傳十、十傳百,傳到現(xiàn)在。
在杭州的河坊街,如果你碰巧撞見(jiàn)一位老藝人,穿著灰大褂,挑著木箱子,帶著剔透玲瓏的糖人走街串巷。那人一定是“糖人魯”。魯立清吹著糖,從北方一直走到江南,甚至還走到國(guó)外,最后把杭州作為沉淀技藝的地方。
談起情定杭州,魯立清直呼“緣分”。1999年,魯立清跟隨河北當(dāng)?shù)匚幕瘓F(tuán),來(lái)杭州宋城參加例行表演,獨(dú)特的吹糖技藝吸引大批觀眾駐足。就這樣,魯立清吹著糖留在了杭州。2004年,河坊街開(kāi)街,魯立清當(dāng)選為河坊街民間藝人協(xié)會(huì)會(huì)長(zhǎng)。此后,“糖人魯”再也沒(méi)有離開(kāi)過(guò)杭州。
情系民間藝術(shù)傳承
說(shuō)起中國(guó)的傳統(tǒng)藝術(shù),想來(lái)大家都不陌生,捏泥塑、吹糖人、剪紙、雜技等,隨隨便便就能報(bào)上來(lái)幾個(gè)。像魯立清一樣懷著一身絕活兒的傳統(tǒng)藝人,曾經(jīng)走南闖北面臨生存壓力。時(shí)過(guò)境遷,吹糖剪紙?jiān)缫巡辉偈且婚T養(yǎng)家糊口的手藝,更多地承載著人們兒時(shí)的溫暖回憶。
如今的魯立清,把傳承民間藝術(shù)視為事業(yè)的全部,他更關(guān)心的是民間藝術(shù)將來(lái)的發(fā)展。老手藝人,仍有著一份倔強(qiáng)和執(zhí)著的堅(jiān)持。他想出了許多保護(hù)和促進(jìn)傳統(tǒng)民間藝術(shù)傳承和發(fā)展的方法。
他不僅手把手帶出15個(gè)徒弟,這些徒弟如今已走出浙江,走到山東、安徽等地;還利用清河坊街區(qū)這個(gè)展示、交流的平臺(tái),向市民、游客展示各類傳統(tǒng)手工絕活。河坊街聚有40多位天南地北的民間藝人,刺繡、蛋雕、捏面人、剪紙、拉洋片,樣樣俱全。民間藝人們除了平時(shí)各自“蹲守”在河坊街一隅修煉手藝,還經(jīng)常組團(tuán)去授課。
2014年10月,魯立清在小營(yíng)街道梅花碑社區(qū)的最美一條街成立了巧手工作室,還把出身剪紙工藝世家的老伴,拉到工作室。自此,他們的民間藝術(shù)傳承與發(fā)展之路又有了新突破。兩位把剪紙、皮影戲等的表演與教學(xué),帶進(jìn)學(xué)校和社區(qū),讓更多“00后”感受到地道的民俗文化。有時(shí),甚至自己貼錢,走進(jìn)學(xué)校,教孩子們剪紙、竹編等手工藝制作;大眾舞臺(tái)上也經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)他們的身影……用魯立清的話來(lái)說(shuō),中國(guó)民間藝術(shù)是一座寶庫(kù),有著無(wú)窮無(wú)盡的迷人魅力,值得傳承和延續(xù)。他選擇通過(guò)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)表演、教學(xué)等形式走近、回歸民間,效果會(huì)比放在博物館展示好得多。2016年,在杭州G20峰會(huì)期間,魯立清向外國(guó)友人展示民間絕活,教了數(shù)不清的“洋徒弟”?!懊耖g藝術(shù)作品放在博物館里展示是靜態(tài)的,缺乏生機(jī);通過(guò)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)表演和教學(xué),讓民間藝術(shù)貼近人們的生活,作品就變得鮮活。傳承非遺任重道遠(yuǎn),希望更多人呵護(hù)民間藝術(shù)之花?!濒斄⑶宓难壑谐錆M了希冀。
Some of our old traditions are irretrievably lost, but the paper-cutting studio at Meihuabei, Xiaoying Community in Hangzhou is always sizzling with the passion of people who believe in and celebrate tradition, and strive to recreate. Lu Liqing and his wife operate the studio.
Now living in Hangzhou, Lu Liqing has his ancestral roots in Wuqiao, Hebei Province, famed for its acrobatic tradition. He won the Folk Artist accolade from the UNESCO in 1995, and before settling down in Hangzhou he had visited Brunei and Sudan, where his paper-cutting won the applauses from the King.endprint
Before the 19th CPC National Congress, the couple created a cycle of works presenting the world-shaking changes that have taken place in China over the past five years to celebrate the 19th CPC National Congress. The creation took the couple more than six months to complete.
Before turning to paper-cutting, Lu Liqing was a sugar figurine artist. This traditional Chinese form of folk art, using hot, liquid sugar to create three-dimensional figures, has a history of more than 600 years. These fragile, plump figures have a distinct brownish-yellow color, usually with yellow or green pigment added.
Similar to the trade of producing sugar paintings, this art form has been practiced in public places for hundreds of years and can still be seen today. Lu Liqing is one of the most avid inheritors of the tradition. Traditionally, artists set up their point of production and sale in areas such as markets, and outside schools, as sugar figures appeal to children. These days, sugar-figurine makers appear most at tourism destinations.
Lu Liqing settled down in Hangzhou in 1999, the year he came to the city for a routine performance in the Song Town, a huge tourist attraction. His sugar figurines drew a huge crowd and made everyones eyes pop out. He decided to stay. When Hefang Street was launched in 2004, Lu Liqing became the chair of the Hefang Street Folk Artisans Association.
During old days when business was bad, artists would accept metal scraps, broken shoes, old clothing, and notably, toothpaste as payment for their sugar figurines. After all, these objects could be resold for cash. Children would often scavenge for these items in order to purchase a candy figurine. Having to eke out a living by blowing sugar figurines is now history. For Lu Liqing, the sugar dragons, roosters and pigs are the embodiment of a treasure trove of endangered ‘species – embroidery, egg decorating, dough figurine, paper-cutting, and peepshow.
Lu Liqing has passed on his stunts to 15 apprentices, who have traveled across Zhejiang and to many other places such as Shandong and Anhui provinces to promote traditional Chinese folk crafts. At present, over 40 folk artists from all over the country are working in Hefang Street in Hangzhou.
Lus handcraft studio at Meihuabei opened in October of 2014. Since then Lu Liqing and his wife Wang Yuzhi, who is from a paper-cutting family, have been doing what they can to bring ‘tradition into the life of the younger generations. The studio works closely with local schools and residential communities, using money from the couples own pocket to purchase materials. In the summer 2017, over 400 students graduated from courses at the studio.
“The magic and value of Chinese folk arts and crafts can never be overestimated,” Lu Liqing says. “The most effective protection of the cultural treasures is not exhibition in museums, but to bring them back into peoples everyday life. Only through on-the-spot demonstration and hands-on teaching can the essence of the arts and crafts be shared and better understood. Made tangible, culture will take root and maintain its vitality.” During the Hangzhou G20 Summit in 2016, Lu Liqing shared his sugar blowing and paper-cutting stunts with foreign visitors.endprint