Fuzhou cork carving: one of the "Three Treasures of Fuzhou Crafts"
Fuzhou cork carving, one of the "Three Treasures of Fuzhou Crafts", is a handicraft that combines carving and painting. In 2008, it was inscribed on the second batch of China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
In the early 20th century, Wu Qiqi, a woodcarving artisan from Xiyuan Village, Fuzhou City, ingeniously utilized cork bark native to the Americas and Mediterranean regions such as Spain. By combining this material with traditional Chinese carving techniques, he pioneered the craft of cork carving. The cork, known as “soft wood” for its light and soft texture, fine and dense grain, and natural, elegant hue, provides an ideal medium for artistic expression.
During the process, artisans use knives in place of brushes, employing various traditional techniques including circular, relief, openwork, and micro-carving to create diverse artworks. These works visually condense "hundreds of miles of mountain ranges within a single frame," earning the reputation of being "silent poetry and three-dimensional paintings." To this day, the production process remains meticulously handcrafted.
