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Fruit pit carving (simplied Chinese:果核雕刻; traditional Chinese：果核雕刻; pinyin： guǒhédiāokè) is a Chinese folk handicraft in which the pits of peach, apricot, olive, Myrica rubra kernels, walnuts, and others are used to create minute patterns of the Buddha, nature, or the Chinese zodiac^[1] that are said to repel evil spirits. The carved pits are also used to create jewelry and decorations.^[2] Olive core carving has recently been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Guangdong Province, China. However, the art is now facing extinction because few black olive trees are planted in China and there are very few people interested in learning this art.^[3]

History

Fruit pit carving began in the Spring and Autumn Period (BC. 770- BC. 476). The earliest record of the art dates from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), roughly 1000 years ago, however, it did not become popular until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). At that time, even the emperor owned master carvings used as aristocratic decoration. Fruit pit carving became even more popular in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but after the Opium Wars its popularity began to decline.^[4]

Famous Craftsmen and Works

Wang Shuyuan

Wang Shuyuan, a Ming Dynasty craftsman from what is now Changshu, Jiangsu Province, created one of the art's masterpieces, a three-centimeter-long peach pit boat in Chibi, Hubei Province, at nighttime. The minute detail of the carved pit includes four working windowpanes, five human figures, flower patterns, and poems. The piece is remembered in "Nut Carving Boat," a literary passage included in some Chinese middle school textbooks. Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name (see the help page).

Chen Zihe

Lived in Weifang, Shandong Province during the Qing dynasty.

Du Langui

Lived from 1881 to 1960 in Weifang, Shandong Province.

Ding Huaizeng

Lived from 1878 to 1940 in Weifang, Shandong Province. Was commemorated for one of his carvings at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915.

References

^ [ 徐华铛, 翛然, 姜跃进《苏州橄榄核雕揽胜》]
^ Wang Ping (1999), 100 Chinese Folk Handicrafts, Guangxi Renming Press. p. 140. ISBN7-219-03925-5/K·766
^ 广州英语早报 GZ Morning Post, Friday, March 23, 2012
^ Mehr von: Shandong Dazhong Media Co., Ltd http://www.dzwww.com/shandong/wangshi/201005/t20100517_5534881.htm

[1] [ 徐华铛, 翛然, 姜跃进《苏州橄榄核雕揽胜》]

[2] Wang Ping (1999), 100 Chinese Folk Handicrafts, Guangxi Renming Press. p. 140. ISBN7-219-03925-5/K·766

[3] 广州英语早报 GZ Morning Post, Friday, March 23, 2012

[4] Mehr von: Shandong Dazhong Media Co., Ltd http://www.dzwww.com/shandong/wangshi/201005/t20100517_5534881.htm

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-'''Fruit pit carving''' (simplied Chinese:果核雕刻; traditional Chinese：果核雕刻; [[pinyin]]： guǒhédiāokè) is a Chinese traditional [[folk art|folk handicraft]], which carves complex images into the pits of small fruits, mainly the pits of peach, apricot and olive. The carving technique is a kind of micro-carving.<ref>[ 徐华铛, 翛然, 姜跃进《苏州橄榄核雕揽胜》]</ref> In ancient China, fruit pit carvings were used mainly as amulets to repel evil spirits.<ref>Wang Ping (1999), 100 Chinese Folk Handicrafts, Guangxi Renming Press. p. 140. ISBN7-219-03925-5/K·766</ref> Olive core carving has recently been added to the list of intangible cultural heritage in Guangdong Province. However, the art, popular in the province for 300 years, is now facing extinction because few black olive trees are planted and there are very few people interested in apprenticing to this art.<ref>广州英语早报 GZ Morning Post, Friday, March 23, 2012</ref>
+'''Fruit pit carving''' (simplied Chinese:果核雕刻; traditional Chinese：果核雕刻; [[pinyin]]： guǒhédiāokè) is a Chinese [[folk art|folk handicraft]] in which the pits of peach, apricot, olive, [[Myrica rubra]] kernels, walnuts, and others are used to create minute patterns of the Buddha, nature, or the Chinese zodiac<ref>[ 徐华铛, 翛然, 姜跃进《苏州橄榄核雕揽胜》]</ref> that are said to repel evil spirits. The carved pits are also used to create jewelry and decorations.<ref>Wang Ping (1999), 100 Chinese Folk Handicrafts, Guangxi Renming Press. p. 140. ISBN7-219-03925-5/K·766</ref> Olive core carving has recently been recognized as [[Intangible cultural heritage|Intangible Cultural Heritage]] in Guangdong Province, China. However, the art is now facing extinction because few black olive trees are planted in China and there are very few people interested in learning this art.<ref>广州英语早报 GZ Morning Post, Friday, March 23, 2012</ref>
-==Classification==
-Based on material Fruit pit carving is divided into Peach-pit carving, Olive-nut carving, Apricot-pit carving, Myrica Rubra kernel carving, Walnut carving, and others.The artistic feature of Fruit pit carving is Buddha figure,Chinese zodiac, flower, bird, fruit, scenery, and others.Fruit pit carving is used for making pendant, bead, and decoration.
 ==History==
-Fruit pit carving began in the [[Spring and Autumn period]] (BC. 770- BC. 476). The earliest record was found in the [[Song Dynasty]] (960-1279),  about 1000 years ago. This form of folk art became popular in the [[Ming Dynasty]] (1368-1644). At that time, the emperor even invited pit carving masters to carve different kinds of pit carvings as aristocratic decorations. You can also get a glimpse of the prosperity through a famous writing named Pit Boat Story (Hezhouji), written by Wei Xueyi. In his writing, Wei Xueyi gives a graphic account of a pit carved into a boat. In the [[Qing Dynasty]] (1644-1911), Fruit pit carving reached a higher point. But after the First Opium War (June 1840-August 1842) and the [[Second Opium War]] (October 1856-October 1860) it began to decline.<ref>Mehr von: Shandong Dazhong Media Co., Ltd http://www.dzwww.com/shandong/wangshi/201005/t20100517_5534881.htm</ref>
+Fruit pit carving began in the [[Spring and Autumn period|Spring and Autumn Period]] (BC. 770- BC. 476). The earliest record of the art dates from the [[Song Dynasty]] (960-1279), roughly 1000 years ago, however, it did not become popular until the [[Ming Dynasty]] (1368-1644). At that time, even the emperor owned master carvings used as aristocratic decoration. Fruit pit carving became even more popular in the [[Qing Dynasty]] (1644-1911), but after the [[Opium Wars]] its popularity began to decline.<ref>Mehr von: Shandong Dazhong Media Co., Ltd http://www.dzwww.com/shandong/wangshi/201005/t20100517_5534881.htm</ref>
+==Famous Craftsmen and Works==
+===Wang Shuyuan===
+Wang Shuyuan, a [[Ming Dynasty]] craftsman from what is now [[Changshu]], [[Jiangsu Province]], created one of the art's masterpieces, a three-centimeter-long peach pit boat in Chibi, [[Hubei Province]], at nighttime. The minute detail of the carved pit includes four working windowpanes, five human figures, flower patterns, and poems. The piece is remembered in "Nut Carving Boat," a literary passage included in some Chinese middle school textbooks. <ref group="http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/22/content_67375.htm" />
+===Chen Zihe===
+Lived in [[Weifang]], [[Shandong Province]] during the Qing dynasty.
+===Du Langui===
+Lived from 1881 to 1960 in [[Weifang]], [[Shandong Province]].
-==Craftsmen==
+===Ding Huaizeng===
+Lived from 1878 to 1940 in [[Weifang]], [[Shandong Province]]. Was commemorated for one of his carvings at the [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition]] in 1915.
-Wang Shuyuan, a [[Ming Dynasty]] (1368 to 1644) craftsman from today's [[Changshu]], [[Jiangsu Province]], carved out the boat of "Dongpo You Chibi ([[Su Shi]], ({{zh|t=蘇軾|s=苏轼|p=Sū Shì|first=t}}) and his friends go boating in Chibi or [[Red Cliff]] at night). There was a cabin carved in the boat, and all the eight windows engraved with a poetic couplet "山高月小，水落石出；清风徐来，水波不兴" from Chibi Fu (赤壁赋 ) ({{lang-en|the hill is tall and the moon looks small;when the water subsides, the rocks emerge; cool bleeze gently blows, and the wave gently agitates}}) are simply opened and closed.{{vague|date=April 2012}}
-In 1736 (early [[Qianlong]] era in the [[Qing Dynasty]]), the craftsman Du Shiyuan from today's [[Suzhou]], [[Jiangsu Province]], was able to carve boats in peach's pits. He charged 50 Liang silvers (Chinese currency, whose purchasing power in 1736 equals [[yuan]] 150-220 today ) for each pit. Despite the high price, many people still rushed to buy it.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}
-With the development of pit carving, many famous craftsmen came to the fore in today's [[Weifang]], [[Shandong Province]] in the late [[Qing Dynasty]]. For example, Chen Zihe, Du Langui (1881-1960) and Ding Huaizeng (1878-1940).<ref>{{cite web|title=丁怀曾 (Ding Huaizeng)|work=山东省省情资料库 (Shandong Province information database)|url=http://sd.infobase.gov.cn/bin/mse.exe?seachword=&K=a&A=84&rec=1034&run=13|publisher=Government of China|accessdate=15 April 2012}}</ref> Ding's pit carving was awarded the Best Reward in the [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition]] in 1915.<ref>{{cite web|title=都兰桂 (Du Langui)|work=山东省省情资料 (Shandong Province information database)库|url=http://sd.infobase.gov.cn/bin/mse.exe?seachword=&K=a&A=84&rec=1204&run=13|work=Government of China|accessdate=15 April 2012}}</ref>
 ==See also==
-* [[Phytelephas]] palms, whose [[ivory]]-like seeds are used by craftsmen in [[Ecuador]]
+* [[Phytelephas]] palm seed works made by craftsmen in [[Ecuador]]
 ==References==