介绍:
Standing in the very heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City is a must-see for any traveller. For some six hundred years, this imposing palace complex had been home to 24 different emperors. Nowadays, as one of the top tourist attractions in China, it is a public museum that continues to attract a staggering 16 million visitors annually.
For many tourists, no matter where they go, the Forbidden City seems to be bathed in a hubbub of voices. But if you happen to go past its northern gate, and then walk along the western wall of the Palace of Established Happiness, you will come across a much quieter courtyard: Xi San Suo, or literally, "the third residence in the west" in English.
In many Chinese films and TV dramas, Xi San Suo is known as the "Cold Palace", a prison for imperial harem. For example, if the wife or concubine of an emperor fell out of favour, they would be banished to this isolated yard. Sometimes, these unfortunate women would be left there until they met their death.
According to legend, their ghosts are still roaming within the Forbidden City at night. Therefore, when morning comes, the living have to cry out so as to alert the spirits.
Just like many urban legends, the story has been debunked to be a superstitious rumour.
But as filmmaker Xiao Han discovers, Xi San Suo is a compelling place in its own right.
"The yard is a unique place. Of course, we've all heard about the legend of Xi San Suo being the haunting Cold Palace. But in reality, it is so lively! Once you walk in, you will spot the mottled walls and cats lounging in the sun. All the conservation workers of the Palace Museum work here. You can hear their mumbles and banters. Everything is so harmonious. "
In 2015, upon the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Palace Museum, Xiao and his team came to the Forbidden City to shoot a documentary.
However, instead of setting their focus on the past, Xiao zoomed his camera on people of today. In his three-episode film, Masters in Forbidden City, or known as "Wo Zai Gu Gong Xiu Wen Wu" in Chinese, the director displays a vivid group portrait of relic restorers at the Palace Museum's conservation department.
Allocated into different teams, these specialists are responsible for the conservation, restoration and research of over 1.8 million cultural relics. The antiquities they repair are quite diverse, ranging from bronze wares whose history could be dated as far back as three thousand years, to the world-famous classical Chinese painting, "Along the River during the Qingming Festival".
Xiao Han says that he was constantly amazed by the sophisticated skills of those restorers during the shooting.
"We started shooting a little bit late. When we arrived, Mister Wang Jin from the timepiece restoration team had already worked on a pair of gold-plated copper water clocks for four months. It took him another four months to restore the clocks back to their former glory. Can you imagine that when Wang first buckled down to this task, they were merely a heap of dusted gears and over a thousand of scattered clock parts? But now, on the top of the clocks, you can spot simulated water flows and mechanical chicks pecking at rice! What a miracle he made!"
In 2016, the documentary series, "Masters in Forbidden City" was aired on both television and video streaming websites. Once released, it instantly became an internet sensation; racking up over six million views. On douban, a Chinese equivalent of IMDb, the documentary scores a starling 9.4, which is much higher than the once-sensational culinary documentary, A Bite of China.
The huge success of his documentary also prompted Xiao to publish a book.
"What my team and I want to present is not purely craftsmanship, but a state of living, a state of mind. I want my audiences to know that in this chaotic, giddy world, there are still a group of people living in such unruffled manner. I hope when they finish watching the film or reading the book, they can re-examine their own lives."
Compared with the documentary that might be too short for some spectators, the namesake book is a collection of some more detailed, revelatory human stories. Compiling the interview transcriptions of twelve conservators, it is a close-up of their life, joy, sacrifice, and most of all, their ultimate devotion towards their works.
For outsiders, being a relic restorer might sound like some effortless edgy job.
However in the eyes of copywriter Lv Yao, restoration could be extremely laborious, humdrum and time-consuming.
"There are lots of intricacies in terms of painting restoration. To remount a traditional Chinese painting that is stained, creased and flaking, one of the key steps is to remove the old backing paper. The backing paper is a thin layer of paper that fays with the painting tightly. So if you peel it away too hard, you will destroy the whole painting. You have to slowly twist and slub the paper with the tips of your fingers. Sometimes, it will take one or two months to remove the old frame of a small-sized painting. "
But for conservators, patience and persistence are not only required in the honing of their skills. In this highly industrialized society, the apprenticeship system still prevails in the business. Before a master deems acceptable, apprentices have to wait for years before they are even allowed to touch an antique.
"In the Forbidden City, this apprenticeship system has been passed down over generations. Unlike the older generations, the new recruits of today all receive formal education from college. But when they start to work here, they have to comply with the tradition. In the first three years, they need to study with one master to perfect their craft. It's quite fascinating, isn't it? So I wrote intensively about it. Originally, I thought this ancient practice has already faded away throughout the time. I was curious about what kind of training they have to go through and why the system still exists. Gradually, I realize that this apprenticeship not only sharpens techniques, but also trains mind and temperament. "
Flipping through the pages, it's easy to be drawn into a space that is isolated, tranquil, and slow-paced, which is in stark contrast to the outside world. In this small courtyard named Xi San Suo, restorers silently stand against the powerful currents of time. Under their gentle touch, objects that were once buried in dust and mildew resurrect and sing following centuries of silence. After listening to their songs and the stories of these dedicated craftsmen, readers will eventually understand what the craftsmanship spirit really means. It is the restless pursuit for perfection, unfailing passion for art, and indifferent attitude to fame and gain.
However, someone may wonder how long these masters will survive in this day and age. After all, it's just a matter of time that technology replaces handcrafts.
As the chief-editor of "Masters in Forbidden City", Xiao Han provides his answer.
"I don't think we have to have any regrets. There are young people who are willing to learn these handcrafts. But compared with their seniors, they will be armed with both modern technology and ancient techniques. Time alternates, but a documentary and a book will always capture the memories. "
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