Inheritor of brick carving seeks to carry forward traditional craft through modern-day innovations

Bu Wenjun is among the fourth generation in the Wei family to inherit the traditional art of brick carving in Longde county, Guyuan city, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Bu Wenjun (right) teaches carving skills to a fifth-generation inheritor of the Wei brick carving craft. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Brick carving, an ancient form of decorative art used to embellish buildings, had once prospered during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties in China. The brick carving craft of the Wei family has a history stretching back more than 120 years, and with the patterns carved on the bricks commonly incorporating animals that carry auspicious meanings.

Bu introduced that it takes seven different procedures and more than 20 steps to complete a full brick carving artwork, with the carving craft requiring a suitable level of strength applied by the craftsman who must try his best not to break a brick while creating patterns on it.

Turning bricks into works of art has always been the main pursuit of the Wei craftsmen. Inheriting the craft from his father-in-law, Bu is aware of his responsibility to carry forward the craft.

Photo shows villagers learning the techniques of brick carving. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

To further promote the ancient art, Bu has broken with tradition by teaching the skills to his fellow villagers, including left-behind women and persons living with disabilities, turning the traditional craft into a source of income for the local rural residents. Traditionally, craftsmen would teach the skills to men of the same family only.

Bu also injected innovations into the craft by replacing animal hair with cotton in an effort to cope with a shortage of raw material and prevent any cracking that may appear on the surface of the brick during the firing process. He also developed more than 300 types of bricks for carving purposes, having sold these products throughout China to Gansu, Shaanxi and Qinghai provinces. In 2011, Bu started a company that specializes in carrying forward the traditional craft.