Fang Xinzhong: Inheritor of Huizhou Brick Carving

Bold Innovation

Other achievements in Fang’s career include a piece entitled The Hometown of Hui Businessmen. Fang led a team of 30 to create the 18-meter-long work, spending half a year on the design, and another half a year on the carving.

When used for decoration in an arch, a Huizhou-style brick carving is usually an ensemble of several parts done on 40-centimeter square bricks. In 1988, a client commissioned a four-square-meter Huangshan Mountain Scene as a garden decoration. For visual effect, the customer suggested using bigger bricks. So for the first time Fang selected gray bricks of 70 cm by 40 cm.

For arch decoration, Fang introduced traditional brick carving focusing on the face and both sides, so openwork (ornamental work with regular patterns of openings and holes) and engraving are the techniques most used. But for garden decoration, the perspective has to be considered, and the proportion of the patterns and techniques used have to be changed accordingly. How to achieve the best perspective effect was the core problem of the garden project. “Six of us worked for over half a year on this work,” said Fang. “Since that job, I have had more confidence to produce large-scale carvings.”

Fang has also been innovative in the themes of his works by moving away from the conventional patterns of birds, flowers and historical scenes of a traditionally patriarchal society towards new themes involving women. For example, Fang decided to set in stone the stories of two heroines, Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying. “Artistic works should reflect the age in which we live, and so, the thoughts behind works should develop with time. We should leave to our children a record of our time,” said Fang. “We should uphold tradition, but keep innovative.”

His achievements have been greatly honored: In 2002 the Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture awarded Fang a Master of Landscape Architecture; in 2005, the Ninth Huangshan International Tourism Festival and Hui Culture Festival awarded Fang Master of Huizhou Folk Craftsman; and in 2007, Fang was listed as one of the first group of Chinese Inheritors of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Heritage

With the advent of modern architecture methods, the ancient Huizhou brick carving skills were in danger of becoming obsolete; but with the development of people’s livelihood and the economy they have been revived. More and more people are aware of the value of traditional construction. As one of the most popular tourist destinations in China, Huangshan City wants to showcase its history through Huizhou-style buildings and the related arts like brick carving. Fang was delighted to see the new trend. “The art of brick carving should be part of a living society, otherwise it will disappear. Today, art should not stagnate in its original position. It should aim high at the international market, and then develop further.”

Fang set up the Fang's Brick Carving Studio in 2003 and the Xinzhong Artistic Brick Carving Factory in 2007 to provide optimum conditions for his apprentices, allowing them to focus on practice and experiment with bold innovations in tools and techniques.

Fang also cooperates with Xingzhi Middle School. Every day, he gets up at three a.m. to work. At seven, he rides his electric bicycle to the school, an hour’s drive from his house in Wangchong Village. He especially hopes his son Fang Mengle will carry on his work. But Mengle, a seaman, has his own dreams. However, he admitted that the ancient skill of brick carving has a stronger and stronger attraction. He used to take up his father’s tools and after three years' practice could do quite a good job. He said maybe someday he would give up the sea and come back home to follow in his father's footsteps.

"Passing on the art of Huizhou-style brick carving is my responsibility and goal," Fang said, calmly but with conviction.