A Generation of Craftsmen 一代匠师 Episode 1

The five thousand years of Chinese culture has been passed down to the present, forming a unique carving process. In the long history of change and innovation, four schools of Beijing, Guang, Su and Xian have been formed. Among them, the works of immortals started in the Northern Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming Dynasty. . The Liuhe family of the Liao family in Xinghua Prefecture, Fujian Province has been inherited for 28 generations. It has taken two years to make the dragon chair for Emperor Xuantong. The work must be completed before February 2 this year.

The fourth day of the first lunar month in 1909 was the annual Spring Festival in Xinghua Prefecture. Back then, Japanese pirates invaded on a massive scale during Chinese New Year, killing countless people in Xinghua Prefecture, and it took the survivors three days to collect their corpses. Liao's house was tidied up inside and out, the folks put up lanterns and festoons, and all groups of Liao's family members gathered together to celebrate the New Year.

Liao Xi, the eldest son of the master of the Liao family, Liao Jingshan, brought his second younger brother Liao Hui and the housekeeper Liu Tianqiu back from Nanyang. When Liao Yihui heard that his father was back, he rushed out to greet him. This time I went to Nanyang and won a lot of orders, but Liao Jingshan was full of displeasure. Liao Xi and the three of them cut off their big braids without authorization. When he got up, Liao Hui tried to excuse him by saying that he couldn't cut his hair in the first month, and Liao Jingshan was furious. Seeing her husband Liao Xi being scolded, Xiuju didn't dare to step forward to intercede, so she could only stand aside and watch silently.

Liao Yihui hurried to the front hall to ask for a gift from Liao Xi. Seeing her grandfather Liao Jingshan was furious, she hurried forward to comfort her. The second wife Shen Wan also helped her. The imperial court didn't care about the braid cutting, so the eldest lady persuaded Liao Jingshan Walk. Liao Jingshan called the descendants of the Liao family to the ancestral hall, and invited the treasure of Zhenshan "Liuhe Precious Book" handed down by the ancestors, which recorded the unique skills of the successive generations of the Liao family. He was deeply moved by the heavy responsibility of the emperor sitting on the dragon chair.

Liao Jingshan hosted a banquet for the family members of the Liao family and delivered a short congratulatory speech. Everyone exchanged cups, and laughter resounded through Liao's house. Liu Tianqiu is Liao Jingshan's direct disciple, he worked tirelessly for the Liao family, but now he is placed outside the chief seat, and the fellows defend him against injustices. Shen Wan was worried that Liao Jingshan would hand over the Liuhe Hall to Liao Xi, so she came directly to Liao Jingshan for a showdown, and handed over the "Liuhe Precious Book" to Liao Xi, asking him to inherit the carving skills of the Liao family and pass on the imprint of fire to Liao Hui, so that Liao Hui managed Liuhetang to inherit the family business. Liao Jingshan hastily changed the topic, calling Liu Tianqiu to send out lucky money for everyone.

Just when Liao Jingshan was taking everyone to have the New Year's Eve dinner together, the workshop of Liuhetang suddenly caught fire. Everyone went to put out the fire together. Dragon Chair was rescued, and through the unremitting efforts of the guys, the fire was finally extinguished. When Master Ye of the government heard about this, he guessed it was a deliberate act by the Liao family's failure to complete the dragon chair. He immediately brought people to Liao's house, and wanted to arrest Liao Jingshan for questioning.

Liao Xi rushed over to argue with Master Ye, and even showed the undamaged dragon chair. Master Ye was speechless for a while. He was just about to take someone away when a buddy came to report that "Liuhe Treasure Book" had disappeared. In a hurry, he fainted on the spot. Master Ye ordered the Liao residence to be surrounded and no one was allowed to enter or leave.

Liao Jingshan finally came to his senses. Master Ye ordered everyone in the Liao family to be arrested and interrogated carefully. Liao Xi tried his best to stop him and wanted to check himself at home. Master Ye stayed behind to wait for the results. Shen Wan suggested to conduct a careful search in various mansions, but the eldest lady strongly protested. Liao Xi agreed with Shen Wan's idea and asked the first and second rooms to search alternately.

Shen Wan went to search Liao Xi's room in person, and insisted on checking a locked cabinet. Liao Xi asked Shen Wan to open the cabinet, which was filled with the relics of Shen Wan's dead son, and Shen Wan had to leave angrily. The eldest lady put her head upside down in Shen Wan's room, but she didn't find anything unusual. Liao Hui tried hard to persuade the person who stole the precious genealogy to hand it over, but Master Ye was very impatient and ordered to search Liao's house inside and out. The yamen servants searched carefully and finally found the treasure book in the backyard. Master Ye handed the treasure book to Liao Jingshan. Liao Jingshan was overjoyed and promised to hand over the dragon chair in ten days.

Shen Wan took out her son's belongings, recalling her son who died eight years ago, couldn't help but burst into tears, Liao Xi persuaded her well. Shen Wan was relaxing in the yard. Liu Tianqiu saw that she was worried and advised her to go back to rest early. Shen Wan asked Liu Tianqiu to help Liao Hui. Liu Tianqiu asked someone to repair the drying room, and the work was soon completed. Liao Jingshan held a groundbreaking ceremony in the workshop, and the guys performed their duties and cooperated with each other.

It takes seven days to dry the dragon chair. Putting the dragon head and dragon balls is the most difficult. Not only must pay attention to the heat and time, but also three out and three in. This is also the unique skill of the Liao family. Xi and Liao went back to dry the faucet, while Da Furen and Shen Wan prayed separately. After the full cooperation of the two brothers Liao Xi and Liao Hui, the faucet finally came out of the water, and then Liao Xi put the dragon balls in place, and the last procedure was finally completed, followed by seven days of drying. Liao Jingshan showed a gratified smile, let The two of them stayed at the workshop closely, and before leaving, he gave Liao Xi and Liao Huiqian instructions.

Liu Tianqiu has been hiding outside the workshop, and he left quietly when he saw Liao Jingshan returning to the house. Afterwards, Liu Tianqiu brought wine and dishes, and asked Liao Hui and Liao Xi to take them in by themselves.