Category: Traditional Trades

Creating each etch with a chisel and each stroke with a scalpel, making sequential progress in imprinting the character onto the signboard, feeling the unique charm out of applying different carving methods, it requires substantial prowess, passion, and persistence. Founded in 1936, Fwu Chang wood carving enables people to approach its exquisite carving skills and perpetual artistic values. Moreover, traditional signboards, which the shop mainly produces, is a trade combining carving, calligraphy, and the principles of Feng Shui.

Mr Ting Wee Chia (53 years old) is the third generation successor of Fwu Chang wood carving. Since a tender age, he and his siblings are influenced by their father to learn carving. He mastered the skill throughout the years, his adept carving skills fully exhibited on wooden calligraphy. 

To illustrate the profile and grace of calligraphy strokes in carving is extremely difficult, especially hollow strokes, however it empowers the characters on the signboard to appear more vivacious. Carving is similar to calligraphy, by mastering the characters’ depth, spatial level, and force, is like implanting a heart into wooden calligraphy, making it come alive right away. The follow-up process after carving is also very particular, for instance the gold foil used in gilding golden characters on the plaque is carefully gilded piece by piece.

Interlaced in each plaque is the smith’s perception of visual aesthetics and memorable legacy of traditional cultures, the exceptional carving skills a living proof of conscientious heritage in generations of smiths.

In order for more people to approach and study the cultural art of carving signboards, alongside with providing a platform for carving enthusiasts all over the world to share the profile and grace of wood carving, Mr Ting purchased the shop next to his workshop a few years ago to construct Fwu Chang Carving Arts Studio, so that this industry could be popularized and have a long run in history.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Music : Lau Tzu Ehru

COPYRIGHTS 2018 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Fine feathers make fine birds. Located in the ancient town of Melaka, Chop Hock Seng not only sells a wide range of religious statues, the second generation owner could also be seen employing various tools and repairing religious statues attentively. He —— Mr Ong You Huat (transliteration), is a repair and restoration smith of religious statues, which is a practice rarely found locally.

To repair religious statues is a painstaking handicraft, the entire process requires utmost patience and meticulous attention, as well as spending a long time at the workbench to repair the religious statues according to varying damage conditions, from simply a few days up to a span of several weeks. In restoring old religious statues, the main consideration is to conserve its traditional, natural, and unadorned colours. Mr Ong also fills the cracks with clay, and reconstruct the props of the religious statue, such as a beard, walking sticks etc. After restoration, the religious statue appears to be totally new.

Due to the majority of religious statues sold in earlier years by his father —— Mr Ong Kian Kok (transliteration) were imported from China, some became cracked or damaged due to issues in weather and transportation, especially wooden ones. In order not to discard these statues and concerns in operation cost, master sculptors from China were hired to instruct them. Hence Mr Ong You Huat (transliteration) started handling repair works on religious statues since his youth, and now has over 30 years of experience. He also expresses that this is an extremely unpopular trade, being time-consuming and laborious. In this age of fast-paced environment, none of the younger generation are willing to take up this trade.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Music : Battersea Bridge from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2018 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD