CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- In Chinese martial arts novels, the top master can hurt people by picking leaves with flying flowers. In real life, a small leaf, when used properly, can be transformed into a colorful work of art. The beauty they show is just like a weapon, shocking and penetrating the soul. Li Minggui is such a “master”. His “Chongqing leaf craftsmanship” has been listed in the third batch of Intangible Cultural Representative Projects in Banan District of Chongqing. He engraved the Mona Lisa’s smile on the leaves and people’s hearts.

Leaf craftsmanship is a kind of traditional corrosion treatment technology of natural fermentation. In order to turn a piece of ordinary leaf into a piece of artwork, it is necessary to go through a “purgatory” like baptism, clean, disinfect, cook and other processes, remove the green cortex but cannot damage its veins. Then flatten, dry and finalize the leaves so as to ensure that they are dry, tough and mildew free.

Li Minggui travelled through famous mountains and rivers. Different from other people’s concerns, Li Minggui’s eyes were attracted by exquisite leaves.

Falling flowers are not merciless things, they are more protective when turned into spring mud. However, when the leaves have not yet turned into spring mud, we should properly handle them, turn them into bookmarks, clip them into books, accompany them in our lives, spread them like knowledge, and spread them down.

Delicate lines and clear veins make lifelike camels in the desert appear on the leaves. Li Minggui said that in carving on the leaves, what was important was that the painting and the leaves were integrated and naturally formed.

Li Minggui found that extracting leaf veins by traditional methods was easy to destroy the integrity of leaf veins, with high brittleness, easy damage and poor plasticity. In this regard, he developed a new extraction method which can ensure its integrity, toughness and long preservation time. Li Minggui has obtained three national invention patents in the continuous improvement of leaf craftsmanship.

By his hands, leaves can not only be made into bookmarks, but also into key chains, earrings, night lights and other different kinds of decorations and daily necessities.

“How to inherit skills has become a question I have been thinking about for years.” According to him, if we want to develop a craft, we need more young people to learn it. First of all, we should be interested in it. Just like lovers, we should feel their spirituality and cultivate their feelings slowly.

Li Minggui learned from Yang Ming, the inheritor of Three Gorges Leaf Art. Yang Ming taught him the leaf art, and Li Minggui grasped the key of leaf making. On this basis, after intensive research, he finally developed the depth and breadth of leaf products. After the establishment of the company, he not only recruited a few apprentices, but also started training for some enthusiasts. (Translated by Luo Juan, Fathom Language Limited)