竹工藝師需要無比的耐性，願意反覆嘗試不同的可能性，才可以做出一件細緻的工藝品。但要求刻苦耐勞，慢工出細貨的工藝行業，好像和重視速度，效率和講求新鮮感的現代城市空間格格不入。究竟竹工藝和背後的歷史可以怎樣在現代城市空間發展，傳承下去？

Bamboo artisans require impeccable patience, continuous trial and error, in order to refine and complete their work. However, the craft industry seems out of touch with the fast-paced city, a space that leaves little room for the past. How can bamboo craftsmanship and its history develop in modern times and pass on its traditions?

飄雅活藝舉辦的展覽《尋竹探藝》，除了邀請來自日本，台灣的竹藝師之外，亦展出來自本地傳統和當代工藝師的作品，重新演繹這一門傳統工藝，令竹工藝的歷史更廣為人知。在今次展覽中，好幾位當代竹工藝師都使用自己的技術，嘗試融合傳統工藝和現代生活，同時保留竹工藝背後的歷史。

Crafts on Peel’s exhibition, IMAGINE THE ‘IM’POSSIBILITIES: BAMBOO, explores this issue by presenting a historical overview of bamboo crafts in Asia, as well as a showcasing works from traditional and modern bamboo artisans from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Through our interviews with local bamboo artisans, we see how they combine traditional craftsmanship and modern lifestyles, while trying to preserve the history behind the craft.

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在探討傳統竹工藝同現代生活的關係之前，我們先回到過去，了解竹工藝在亞洲的歷史背景。

Accompanying the works and perspectives of local artisans is a thematic overview in Crafts on Peel, where they present the development of bamboo craftsmanship in Asia.

其實自古以來，東亞地區的古人已有親自製竹器的技術。因為竹是亞洲的原生植物生長速度快，本身夠輕和堅固，所以很多古時的工具都是竹製的。早期的竹藝品以實用為主，和生活息息相關，例如籠具，食具等等。

Since the Neolithic Age, people across East Asia have already been making bambooware. As bamboo is a native plant in East Asia, favoured for its abundance, light and sturdy nature, many tools in the past were made out of bamboo. Early bambooware were made for practical purposes, and used in everyday life, like cages and utensils.

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在宋代時，文人雅士開始重視茶藝，花藝和香文化，所以竹由農業品，提升為有儀式用途的竹藝品。

In the Song Dynasty, the literati paid more attention to the art of tea ceremony, flower arrangement and incense appreciation. This elevated bambooware from a practical tool to objects with aesthetic value.

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近代竹工藝受到日本哲學家柳宗悅「民眾工藝」的概念所影響。他提倡工藝品的美學價值包含在實用性中，結合實用性和美學。這種概念重視人，工藝品同埋工藝師之間的關係，希望大家在使用竹器的時候，成就生活裏面的美。

In the 1920s, Japanese philosopher Yanago Soetsu advocated the Folk Craft Movement, which influenced bamboo craftsmanship. He believes the aesthetics and practicality of craft can coexist in the same object. His ideas highlight the relationship between the craft maker, user and the craft itself, hoping people will appreciate bamboo’s beauty, when using crafts in the everyday.

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而香港本地主要有幾類的竹工藝，例如竹蒸籠，老人家養雀時會用到的竹雀籠，喜慶日子會看到的獅頭等等。當代竹工藝師嘗試轉化現有的竹工藝，融入於現代生活。

Zooming into Hong Kong, there are a few kinds of bamboo crafts found locally. For example, the bamboo steamers we see during yum cha, bamboo bird cages that older folks use to take their birds on a walk and festive lion heads are all made out of bamboo. Based on the development of bamboo craftsmanship in Hong Kong, modern bamboo artisans transform local craftsmanship and integrate it within our everyday lives.

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當代竹工藝師丁科竣透過設計材料包，利用現代的方式宣傳傳統工藝，譲大眾有機會接觸竹細工的渠道。他承認香港很難以承傳，師傅教徒弟的方法宣傳工藝，因為受到城市節奏限制，接受能力沒有台灣，日本等地這麼大。所以丁科竣一直利用體積比較細的材包，選擇結合傳統和現代方法推廣竹編工藝。加上說明書和教學影片，大家可以在家裏，親自體驗傳統竹編工藝，製成品亦可於日常生活繼續使用。

Modern bamboo artisan Ting For Chun uses craft sets as a means for the general public to have a hands-on experience with traditional craftsmanship, through a modern format. He admits that Hong Kong is a fast-paced city, so no one will want to spend years learning a certain craft, unlike Japan and Taiwan, which are able to accommodate the heritage and inheritance of craftsmanship and techniques. Therefore, Ting chooses to promote bamboo weaving through a combination of traditional and modern methods. With the portability of craft sets and accompanying video tutorials, anyone can have a taste of bamboo weaving at home and use the finished product in their daily lives.

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作為竹工藝師，丁科竣要一手包辦準備竹細工材料的所有過程，由準備原材料，編織等等的工序，全部都要慢慢完成。縱使要用很多時間研究和埋測試材料包的製成品，他仍然認為在香港推廣竹藝是非常重要的。

As a freelance artisan, Ting has to prepare his craft sets all by himself, from preparing raw materials, to testing out the bamboo weaving pattern. Though it occupies a lot of time to research and test out his craft sets and the finished products, he thinks the time he has invested in this project is worth it.

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丁科竣希望大眾可以對竹工藝改觀。他坦言:「其實竹工藝不是一款死板的技術，反而竹藝會隨着時間進化，因應時代的需要作出改良，衍生出新的技術。竹看似一種平凡的物料，但我希望城市人能與這一種物料相處，親自使用竹藝品，從日常生活發掘出他的平實之美。」

Ting hopes that people can view bamboo craftsmanship in a new light. He says, “Bamboo craftsmanship is not a technique stuck in the past. Instead, it adapts to modern needs and trends, with everchanging techniques. Bamboo seems like an ordinary material, but I hope city dwellers in Hong Kong use more bambooware in their daily lives and discover its humble beauty.”

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神野貓是另一位展出作品的工藝師。她同張歡師傅合作，完成《再世盧亭》這件作品。張師傅負責獅頭，神野貓負責魚尾部份，帶出首尾呼應。魚尾除了是作品的一部份，亦可變成多用途服裝。

Jinno Neko is another participating artisan in Crafts on Peel’s exhibition. She collaborates with Master Cheung Foon on the work Reborn Merman. Master Cheung was responsible for making the lion head, while Jinno Neko made the fish tail, with both parts complementing each other. While the fish tail is part of this work, it can also be configured into wearable fashion pieces.

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談到融合傳統和當代工藝時，她説:「獅頭代表師傅一代，而魚尾代表我這一代，那我如何利用自己的手法，演繹傳統工藝？如果我只是呼應獅頭，我的作品只是向他致敬，而缺乏延續。你需要延續，便要在作品裏做自己一代的手法。」

In relation to working with a traditional bamboo master, she points out, “The lion head represents Master Cheung’s generation, so how can I use my own way, to reinterpret traditional craft? If I simply echo to what Master Cheung did, I am only paying homage to the past, I do not connect it to the present. In order to pass on traditional craft, we have to do what is related to our generation.”

神野貓全部的紮作都能穿起來。可是，香港人對紮作的禁忌很大，他們看到穿得上身的紮作，好像變成一個紙紮公仔。於是神野貓透過自己的紮作，向別人説其實紮作不是想像中的恐怖。

All of Jinno’s papier-mâché works can all be worn. Some people find this terrifying, because they think if one wears papier-mâché, you will into a real-life papier-mâché offering for ancestors. There is a huge cultural taboo surrounding papier-mâché works. In contrast, what Jinno does with her craft is to show others that it is not scary at all.

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竹工藝師向其他人解釋竹藝時，難免會遇到困難。但是和竹相處後，他們從竹工藝找到從事工藝的動力，把遇到的困難轉化為人生道理，譲其他人發掘工藝的美。

Bamboo artisans often find it difficult when explaining their craft to outsiders.  However, by being in touch with bamboo, they are able to find out what the craft means to them, containing many personal reflections and philosophy, which can then inspire others to see the magic of craftsmanship.

丁科竣透過工藝，改變他對失敗的態度。他認爲做工藝時失敗是正常的，失敗是工藝必經的過程。如果他不斷嘗試，便好像自我修行。

Ting For Chun found that his mindset has changed greatly after engaging in craftsmanship. He thinks that it is normal to fail when making crafts, it is almost the process demands it. Ting believes crafts making becomes a form of self-discipline if he keeps trying to perform better.

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神野貓則從張師傅身上，找到竹工藝背後的哲學：「師傅跟我説，竹是有生命的。我們看植物時，它好像不會流血，而我們一般人覺得不會會流血的東西，就沒有生命。但萬物都有生命, 只是顯現的方式和人不同。工藝師能把竹賦予生命，甚至連結他人的生命。所以張師傅説竹有生命，這句話充滿着思想和哲學。」

On the other hand, Jinno finds the philosophy of bamboo craftsmanship through conversing with Master Cheung. She says, “Master Cheung tells me that bamboo is full of life. When we look at plants, we don’t see it bleed like humans do. One assumes that if something doesn’t bleed, it is lifeless. But there is life in everything, they just show their life force in another way. The job of a bamboo artisan is to breathe life into bamboo and connect people’s lives together. There is deep philosophy embedded into the art of bamboo craftsmanship.”

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竹本身和竹工藝一樣，充滿生命力，隨着時代一直轉化，融入於我們的生活中。但竹工藝延續同時，它背後的歷史亦值得被人記錄，不應該因為時代變遷而被忘記。

Bamboo itself and bamboo craft are both full of life. It evolves over time and integrates into our lives. While bamboo craft continues to evolve, its history should still be remembered, despite rapidly changing times.

飄雅活藝正在積極籌備一個工藝師資料庫。創意總監陸詠沁表示:「其實無論是當代或傳統的工藝師，他們都有很多個人故事，一定會對這種工藝特別鍾情，或有情意結，所以才投身於這個行業。所以我們收集了很多工藝師和他們的老師，師傅，或師公的故事。」

Crafts and Peel are creating a database of oral histories and textual accounts of the artisans’ crafts. The organization’s creative director, Penelope Luk, elaborates on the importance of the database, “Both traditional and modern artisans have a lot of personal stories, whether it is a particular passion for the craft or a special moment they can never forget, which led them to crafts making industry. That’s why we have collected many stories about craft makers and their teachers, masters and mentors.”

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神野貓概括了傳承工藝的重要性:「傳承工藝不代表你一定要成爲一位工藝師，不是每人有這麼好的手藝。如果沒有人有好手藝，那怎麼辦？我們可以寫下來作記錄。你不懂寫，不懂記錄，可以學習欣賞工藝，或去使用它。如果你有錢，可以買工藝品。每一個人都有能力保留傳統工藝，只是看你是否願意去做。」

Jinno Neko puts it fittingly, “Passing on a craft doesn’t mean you have to become an artisan, not everyone has that skill. If we cannot learn the craft, what can we do? We can write down and create textual records. It’s okay if you don’t know how to record it down, you can learn to appreciate the craft, or use it in your daily life. If you have the money, you can buy products to support artisans. Everyone has the ability to preserve traditional craftsmanship, it just depends on whether you are willing to do it or not.”

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尋竹探藝 IMAGINE THE ‘IM’POSSIBILITIES: BAMBOO
Date: 2020.9.26 – 12.31
Time: Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00 – 18:00
Venue: 中環卑利街11 號
11 Peel Street, Central, Hong Kong

Photos courtesy of the artists and Crafts on Peel
Text by Anna Lam