The Exhibition of Taoyuan Woodcarvings Kicks off in the Hunan Museum

On May 18, the exhibition of Taoyuan Woodcarvings kicks off in the Hunan Museum. It is one of “Taoyuan Craftsmanship” series exhibitions, presenting the wood carving, which is jointly hosted by the Hunan Museum and the Taoyuan County government. It is also an original special exhibition focusing on the local culture of Hunan Province.

Taoyuan woodcarving is a kind of refined and popular art, which presents the true feelings and embodies the most pure spirit of Taoyuan people, not only undertaking the past, but also demonstrating that Taoyuan is the spiritual shelter. The exhibition is composed of four chapters, with over 200 pieces (sets) of fine wood carvings from private and public collections. Through the visual display of the pattern, subject matter, function, gift manners, and technical characteristics of woodcarving, the exhibition guides audiences to appreciate the unique folk customs and etiquette culture in the region through observing Taoyuan woodcarving.
 

  Chapter I patterns
 

With various and diversified patterns and subjects, Taoyuan woodcarvings are full of natural rustic charm, among which the woodcarvings in the theme of bionic melons and fruits, flowers, birds, auspicious animals, characters and stories are the most meaningful and interesting ones. With exquisite composition and dedicate skills, Taoyuan woodcarvings fully achieve that giving all woodcarvings their own unique auspicious meanings by means of homophony, metaphor, metonymy and so on, and it encompasses people's yearning for a better life and the spiritual pursuit of truth, goodness and virtue.

  Chapter II Utensils
 

Art comes from life, and life makes it perfect. Woodcarvings are deeply integrated into Taoyuan people's daily life, and you can see it on the table, chair, bed and couch. It makes people’s ordinary life full of aesthetic interest and a sense of ritual. It has infused folk customs and even moral culture into the daily utensils, embodying family tradition, and has imperceptibly affected the spirit and mind of generations of Taoyuan people.

  Chapter III Gift

 
Taoyuan is a place of etiquette, where local people attach great importance to the harmonious relationship among them, and they often send gifts to each other to improve relationship. One major category of woodcarving utensils is ceremonial articles, embodying people’s good wishes. The quality of wine is not the most important when giving wine as a gift. The luxury of the wine container cover and wine pole symbolizing reputation and distinction, together with extremely rich wedding utensils, complement and develop each other in harmony, showing that utensils bear etiquette.

  Chapter IV  Handicrafts 

Taoyuan woodcarvings are vivid and wild patterns in various forms finely filed on the wood. With the spatter of sawdust, the outline representing by means of lines gradually appears. After fine polishing, the woodcarvings turn into dancing spirits, and finally become all-embracing paintings with folk custom.