Knives, ornaments, living utensils, horse gear, Buddhist utensils, Buddha statues, architectural decorations… Tibetan metal forging manual skills, like a star-studded river of history, also showcases the wisdom of Tibetan compatriots in hand forging.
The ethnic handicrafts of Baiyuhepo in Baiyu County, Sichuan Province have a long tradition, with a history of more than 1,300 years. In 2008, Hepo Township, Baiyu County, was named the “Hometown of Chinese Folk Culture and Art” by the Ministry of Culture; in May 2018, Hepo Tibetan metal forging skills were included in the “First Batch of National Traditional Craft Revitalization Catalog.”
For many years, Hepo Tibetan metal forging craftsmen have adhered to the tradition, and Hepo handicrafts are well-known in Tibet. However, with the emergence of industrial alternatives, coupled with the fact that artists are self-preserving, fighting each other, and lacking in innovation and creativity, the Tibetan metal forging handicraft tradition is facing a dilemma. How to revitalize traditional handicrafts, help alleviate poverty and increase the income of the masses, is a difficult problem facing the party committee and government of Hepo Town.
Intangible cultural heritage protection breaks barriers and precision poverty alleviation
The Hepo Tibetan metal forging craftsman group is large, the inheritance system is complete and the craftsmanship is exquisite, meeting the diversified and individual needs of today’s market consumer groups, there should be a lot of room for improvement. “How to give full play to the leading role of party building, deepen the integration of Tibetan metal forging craftsmanship with poverty alleviation, and create a road to enrichment by Hepo culture?” Xu Shunfa, then head of the Organization Department of Baiyu County Party Committee, fell into contemplation after inspecting Hepo Town.
Convene a meeting of rural cadres to discuss ways out, seek solutions, and finally achieve a unified understanding, and reach a consensus on group heating and common development; the establishment of Baiyu County Hepo Boga Farmers Professional Cooperative and Hepo Boga Cultural Industry Development Co., Ltd., from Five members of the 16 village branch secretaries who can operate, understand technology, and are good at management are elected as permanent members of the Union and the company. The Union Party branch is established simultaneously, and the operation is carried out in the manner of “branch + cooperative + company + masses” .
Member of the Party Branch of the Cooperative Swears
The cooperative is jointly formed by 16 cooperatives within its jurisdiction. There are three main types of development projects: market complex (training base), planting industry and metal forging handicraft development projects. At present, there are 2986 members in 323 households, accounting for 74% of the total number of the town. There are 132 poor households with 609 people, 28 five-guarantee households and 11 orphans in the whole town, and the five-guarantee households, orphans and other disadvantaged groups are offered free shares.
There are 312 craftsmen in 112 households in the union, accounting for 66% of the town’s craftsmen. A working group on Tibetan metal forging manual skills was established under the Union, which effectively broke the pattern of all households being formed. Everyone has a common platform and interests. The inheritance of Hepo ethnic handicrafts and the road to prosperity is ushering in a bright future. .
Ze Cheng Langjia, member of the branch, director and head of the handicraft development of the Hepo Boga Farmers Professional Cooperative, said that the previous handicraftsmen had different skills and operated in different households, and they also “passed males but not females, and re-passed blood relatives.” However, since the establishment of the Hepo Boga Farmers’ Professional Cooperative, 112 households of 312 craftsmen have shared interests, platforms and funds. The craftsmen can not only earn working hours, but also the profit part. Benefit from dividends. The thinking is complete, and many previous difficult tasks are no longer difficult. Last year, we also conducted handicraft skills training for 98 cardholders who are willing to learn handicrafts, including 23 women.
“Thinking determines the way out, and there is no way out if there is no change.” Hepo Town Party Secretary Duoji Tashi said. How to face the opportunity to realize the protection, inheritance and development of the Hepo Tibetan metal forging manual skills? The members of the federation agreed that the development of education, technological innovation, and market connection are indispensable.
Innovative mechanism and traditional handwork rejuvenate
Inheritance and development are inseparable from innovation. However, the closed living environment is a difficult problem for the innovative requirements of the development of Tibetan handicrafts. “It is necessary to invite professional intangible cultural and creative teams in the industry to assist Tibetans in fighting against poverty!” The Baiyu County Party Committee and Government has listed the protection and development of the inheritance and development of Tibetan metal forging manual skills as one of its key tasks. Xu Shunfa immediately contacted the Cultural and Creative Office of Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and sincerely sent invitations to major domestic and related cultural and creative enterprises and expert teams.
In June of this year, Ren Xinli, head of the Beijing Mammoth Market Intangible Heritage Poverty Alleviation Project Team, went to Hepo Town to enter the plateau Tibetan small town to carry out intangible cultural and creative product design research, and cooperated with the Baiyuhe Poboga Farmer Cooperative Association. The leader will work together to help the development of the Tibetan metal forging craftsmanship industry to help alleviate poverty and become rich. Mammoth Bazaar is a key cooperation project of the China Media Group under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The project focuses on intangible cultural heritage, cultural creativity, and cultural tourism, and conducts cultural tourism products across the country in the form of a comprehensive cultural tourism creative exhibition. . In Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chongqing and other places, there are successful cases of planning and upgrading traditional intangible cultural heritage brands, packaging and marketing traditional intangible cultural heritage projects.
Concerned about the plateau to help alleviate poverty, Ren Xinli led the team to spend several months in Hepo to investigate and research, and found that although the core products of Tibetan metal forging, knives, decorations and other products are once necessities of life, they are not designed to meet the modern Life needs, more can only be used as collections, it is difficult to play its maximum role.
Focusing on the current development status, the Hepo Boga Farmers Professional Cooperative and the Mammoth Bazaar project team after several rounds of negotiations, agreed to use intangible cultural heritage poverty alleviation to work together to keep up with the country’s second round of development opportunities in the western region, and innovate in the market. Planning, brand IP, product design, marketing promotion and other aspects are meticulously planned and promoted in an orderly manner, striving to improve the quality and empowerment of traditional industries, embark on a path of diversified industrial development, meet new markets, new consumption and new demands, and share the fruits of reform and development.
“With the great concern of the party committee and the government, and the care and help of the Mammoth Bazaar Intangible Heritage Poverty Alleviation Project Team, we will surely lead everyone out of poverty and become rich.” Qi Madoji, secretary of the cooperative branch and chairman of the board, is full of confidence in the future.
