Yongkang Tin Carving Technique Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor

Sheng Yiyuan

Sheng Yiyuan said that the essence of traditional crafts lies in manual labor. These skills, accumulated through countless trials, cannot be replaced by any machine or technology. They must be done step by step, gradually, without any shortcuts. From beginning to end, Sheng Yiyuan, as a craftsman, has always adhered to this "craftsman's spirit".

Yongkang tin carving originated in the Five Dynasties period and has a history of more than 1,000 years. According to the Yongkang County Annals of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, "Tinware developed in the Five Dynasties period and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China period."

The *Jinhua City Gazetteer* records in its section on "Production Customs": "Jinhua's craftsmen are most famous in Yongkang and Dongyang, known as the 'Hometown of a Hundred Crafts,' and their activities extend throughout the country. Yongkang has many copper, iron, and tin craftsmen, who make their living by nailing scales, hooping barrels, and painting..."

A handcrafted pure tin can specially made for Daya Hall, crafted with meticulous craftsmanship.

In 2011, Sheng Yiyuan invested over 18 million yuan to build the Yongkang Tin Carving Museum in order to protect and pass on the art of Yongkang tin carving.

Collection

The Tin Carving Craft Museum is located on the 25th floor of Jinshan Building in the headquarters center of Yongkang City. Based on the concepts of protection, inheritance and development, the museum has set up three exhibition halls: ancient tinware, traditional pure handmade tinware, and modern tinware, with a collection of more than a thousand pieces.

Master of Daya Hall and Teacher Sheng Yiyuan, Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor