Chapter 20 The third section is entertaining and interesting themes

Enjoying oneself is the original purpose of creating entertaining and interesting works in folk sculpture, so producers are also consumers at the same time.Even if some of them are transformed into commodities, their original intention has not been changed.These works are mainly toys and drama themes two categories. The focus of folk sculpture care is on children, and folk sculpture is also an enlightenment reading for children's aesthetics.A large number of toys were created to serve this purpose.These toys in folk sculptures are made of various materials, which can be seen, played, heard (clay whistle, calling a monkey, etc.), edible (sugar sculpture, dough sculpture, etc.), and have multiple functions.In terms of modeling, whether it is a play, a religious figure, or a folk concept, they are all displayed in front of children through some vivid and interesting forms.Like a cloth tiger, it is not a majestic figure that walks with the wind and howls high, but a pleasant image that is soft, round, short and thick. (Picture 32) Another example is the wooden toy sword with the words "Qinglong Yanyue Dao" written on it, probably including the historical allusion about Yunchang.But the word "Yanyue" is too literary, so some folk artists simply write "Yanyue" as "Yanyue" or "Yanyun". This change has become a scene in life, which is vivid and easy to understand. , very suitable for children's comprehension.As for the ancient meaning of "Yue", the child will naturally figure it out when he grows up and learns culture.Some clay toys are inconspicuous at first glance, but they have a lot to offer after a thorough study.For example, today in Huaiyang, Henan and other places, there is a kind of clay toy "Xun" (xun Xun) (clay suona), which looks like a jujube, ordinary and rustic.However, compare it with the unearthed primitive society Hemudu culture, Yangshao culture, Longshan culture and other musical instruments pottery xuns from the Shang Dynasty, as well as the xuns seen in the works of art and objects in the past dynasties, except for the large size They are basically the same in shape (ellipsoid, opening) and function (sound) except for the differences of small size, fineness and roughness in production, and complex and simple sounding function.It turns out that this ordinary clay toy Tao Xun is actually a living cultural relic, and thousands of years have not changed its original shape.

Folk art is the art of the local area. "When you come from your hometown, you should know the stories of your hometown." When a person grows up, he may have little or no chance to contact folk sculptures. Folk sculptures with nostalgia and nostalgia, a strong nostalgic mood arises spontaneously.This is the true cultural value of folk sculpture. Chinese drama took shape around the Song Dynasty.Since then, drama has not only been a kind of entertainment for the festivities of the upper class, but also the most common entertainment for ordinary people to learn about history and society.The content of Chinese drama, there is a saying that "three thousand in Tang Dynasty, eight hundred in Song Dynasty, three kingdoms that can't be sung forever".Relying on these historical stories, the tragic, joyful, or humorous scenes of human life are the textbooks for Chinese people to truly understand Chinese culture.Although the scripts were written by literati, the main audience of Chinese dramas were ordinary people, and the main performers were the lower classes and even illiterate people.In this sense, theatrical performance is a kind of folklore activity.Such themes are indispensable in natural folk sculptures.

Dramatic themes in folk sculpture are mainly concentrated in architectural sculptures, such as wood carvings, brick carvings, stone carvings, etc., or carved on ridges, engraved on pillars, carved on doors and windows, or placed on walls.In addition, some furniture is often engraved with drama stories.There are several forms of theater performances such as puppet show, local play, Nuo opera, etc. Wooden puppets (puppet play) and wooden masks (local play and Nuo play) have been used throughout the performance process. Here, the sculptures of folk artisans merged with drama.The most common theatrical themes in folk sculptures are love stories such as "Broken Bridge" and "Nv Qijie", those expressing loyalty such as "Second Entry into the Palace" and "Da Jinzhi", and those expressing heroism such as "Changbanpo ", those that express wisdom such as "Empty City Strategies", and those that express supernatural power such as "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea"... These sculptures are stories familiar to the common people.Just like other folk arts, the themes selected by folk sculptures are generally optimistic.As mentioned above, folk drama sculptures are mostly carved on buildings and furniture, that is to say, these sculptures often appear in the form of commodities, so this kind of sculptures are generally not works of art for folk craftsmen to entertain themselves.Considering the preferences of customers, folk artists do not choose pure tragedies when carving dramatic themes.Like a love story, no matter how many twists and turns and tribulations it goes through, it always ends with a happy ending.Take "Nvqijie" as an example. The story tells the story of Su San (Yutangchun), a famous prostitute in the Ming Dynasty, who met Wang Jinglong, the son of the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and vowed to live together forever.The son lived in a brothel for a long time, but was expelled by the madam when he ran out of money; Su San was sold to a rich merchant in Shanxi.The rich businessman's wife poisoned Su San in the food, but was eaten by the rich businessman to death. Su San was falsely accused by the rich businessman's wife of killing her husband.Hongdong county magistrate accepted bribes and sentenced Su San to death.Shi Wang Jinglong went to the examination and was awarded Shanxi Tour Press, and Su San went to Taiyuan for reexamination. After "three joint trials", the unjust prison was rehabilitated, and Su San and Wang Jinglong were reunited.The experience of Su San in this story makes people cry, and the final ending turns sorrow into joy, and they feel that the truth, goodness and beauty will finally overcome the fake, evil and ugly.As an ordinary citizen, this requirement should be the minimum.

Whether as a species or as a human being, the first issue is to survive and pass on.The difference is that other species survive and reproduce in the way given by nature, that is, instinct, while human beings have spiritual sustenance and demands, as well as the desire to live better, in addition to instinct.No matter how many ways are changed, no matter how many materials are used, no matter how many kinds of gods are used in the three major contents of folk sculptures, namely reproductive worship, seeking good fortune and warding off evil spirits, and entertainment themes, what is expressed is that human beings survive and pass on. , Live better this most basic need.In this kind of art, what we see is the most primitive impulse of human beings, and what we hear is the most primitive call of human beings.As the old saying goes: "Both carved and polished, return to simplicity." Looking at folk art, people have the feeling of getting rid of troubles, returning to simplicity, and returning to the beginning; and folk art, including folk sculpture, its expression It is straightforward, strong, and powerful, and everyone who faces it is refreshed and even excited.This is where folk art catches people.