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Chongqing News

The disappearing traditional craftsmanship - blacksmith

2017-09-25 09:39:53

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Punting, blackblacksmithing and tofu grinding are said to be the toughest jobs in the world. As the time changes, blackblacksmithing has been phased out. However, Tan Jiuhong, a blacksmith from Shizhu County, Chongqing, is telling people this old job by action and insistence.

Tan Jiuhong is burning raw iron. (Photo provided by correspondent)

Tan Jiuhong is a native of Zhongyi Township. He married the daughter of the locally famous blacksmith and then learned to work as a blacksmith from his father-in-law. Ordinarily he is a farmer, but on village fair days, he would serve as a blacksmith to forge some axes and hoes to earn some money. Though it is not a very profitable making job, Tan has insisted on doing it for the last 30 years in order to inherit this traditional craftsmanship.

Hammering (Provided by correspondent)

Tan becomes talkative speaking of blacksmithing. He said manual blacksmithing is a traditional craft handed down for several hundreds of years. Although the production of many things like the farm tools and kitchen knives has become industrialized, the traditional blacksmithing shows the wisdom of the laboring people. He will sustain the operation of the smithy despite the bleak business, in order to inherit this traditional craftsmanship.

Now, machined tools have gradually replaced the handmade ironware and the blacksmith is also disappearing. “It is tiring physical work to make farm tools by hand and few people would like to learn this craft.” said Tan, “I will sustain my operation and attend to my work.” (Translated by Xu Mengmiao, Fathom Language Limited)

Editor:Jiang Yiwei