The materials and production of Huizhou brick carvings are extremely sophisticated. Generally, blue bricks fired with special techniques, with a solid sound and pure color are used as the material. They are first ground into blanks, on which the parts of the picture are outlined, the depth of the objects is chiseled out, and the distance and level of the picture are determined. The outline is carefully carved, and some parts are "out of detail" to make the pre-designed pattern stand out. Brick carvings can be seen everywhere in Shexian, Yixian, Wuyuan, Xiuning and Tunxi. The brick carvings inlaid on ancient houses, feeding halls, temples and other buildings are still exquisite and thought-provoking despite being tempered by years and eroded by wind and rain. The Jixian County Museum has a brick sculpture of the Kitchen Temple. On the brick surface, which is only one foot square, is a round sculpture of a Bodhisattva wearing a golden helmet and armor and holding a steel mace in his hand. According to research, this exquisite brick sculpture cost With 1,200 craftsmen, it can be called a classic work of Huizhou brick carving art. In the 1980s, with the establishment of Huizhou Ancient Building Materials Company, brick carving regained its vitality as a practical decorative art. Huizhou Three Carvings
Stone carvings are widely distributed in urban and rural areas of Huizhou, and there are many categories. They are mainly used for decoration of pillars, door walls, archways, tombs, etc. of temples and houses. They belong to the art of relief and round carving and are well-known. high. The themes of Huizhou stone carvings are limited by the carving materials themselves and are not as complex as wood carvings and brick carvings. They mainly include images of animals and plants, ancient patterns and calligraphy. As for characters, stories and landscapes, they are relatively rare. In terms of carving style, the relief carvings are mainly shallow openwork carvings and flat carvings. The integration trend of round carvings is obvious. The knife skills are refined and simple, and are not as delicate and cumbersome as the wood carvings and brick carvings of the Qing Dynasty.
The mountainous areas of Huizhou are rich in wood. Most of the buildings are made of bricks, wood and stone. The wood is especially used, which has become a place for wood carving artists to show their talents. Huizhou wood carvings are used to decorate old buildings and household appliances throughout the country. Its wide distribution in urban and rural areas is one of the few in the country. The elegance of wood carvings can be seen on the screens, window lintels and railings in the courtyard, as well as the beds, tables, chairs, desks and study utensils used in daily life. They can be found in almost every village. Huizhou wood carvings cover a wide range of themes, including figures, landscapes, flowers, animals, insects and fish, cloud heads, fretwork, eight treasures, ancient Chinese characters and tin couplets, and various auspicious patterns. Huizhou wood carving uses expression techniques such as round carving, relief carving, and openwork carving based on the needs and possibilities of the components of the building object.
The "Three Carvings of Huizhou" are extremely closely and securely coordinated with the overall building. Their layout, ingenuity of structure, beauty of decoration, refinement of construction, and depth of connotation are breathtaking. Whether it is wood carving, brick carving or stone carving, various techniques such as relief, openwork carving, round carving, and line carving are used together. From this, we can see the inheritance of my country's architectural decorative carving art since the Han and Tang Dynasties, and it also reflects other arts in Huizhou culture. Categories such as Xin'an Painting School, Hui School Printmaking, Hui School Seal Engraving, Huizhou Inkstone Carving, Ink Mold Carving and other artistic styles have an influence on Huizhou architectural decoration and carving style.