Liu Shangde
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Liu Shangde, Male, Han, from Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Iron-flower Fireworks (Ⅹ-88). The tradition is documented in Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei. Within the regional tradition and school record of Iron-flower Fireworks in Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei: Dashuhua, also known as "huoshu jinhua" (fiery trees and golden flowers), is a folk shehuo (community festivity) activity with strong local characteristics, held during the Lantern Festival. Yuxian dashuhua originated and spread in the Nuanquan area of Yuxian County, Hebei Province. Dashuhua is characterized by wonder, uniqueness, and peril; it presents the traditional smelting and casting trade in the form of folk art, reflecting the wisdom and artistic creativity of the local people. Its scenes are extraordinary and spectacular, leaving viewers in awe. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, owing to warfare and the thriving iron-smelting industry of the ancient town of Nuanquan, blacksmiths in the smithies drew inspiration from the sparks of splattering molten iron and invented dashuhua (tree-flower pounding).
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Liu Shangde is anchored in the documented technical standards of Iron-flower Fireworks in Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei. Within the documented technical tradition of Iron-flower Fireworks in Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei: People smelt scrap pig iron into molten iron and hurl it onto the city wall, where it bursts into brilliant sparks; the continuous sparks form a golden "rain of flowers" like a dazzling fiery tree — hence the name "shuhua" (tree flowers). It has a history of more than 500 years to this day. By division of labor, dashuhua is split into two parts: "zhanglu" (furnace tenders) and "zhangshao" (ladle handlers). The zhanglu are responsible for smelting and carrying the molten iron; the zhangshao are responsible for the dashuhua performance. On the day of a dashuhua performance, the zhanglu must hold a furnace-worshipping ceremony. The furnace-worshipping ceremony is a very solemn rite: first, it prays for peace and prosperity for the country and for favorable weather in the coming year; second, it prays for the safety of the performing artists. After nightfall, the zhanglu place pig iron into the smelting furnace and melt it into molten iron at 1,600 degrees Celsius, pour it into specially made heat-resistant pots, and quickly carry it to the gate of the ancient fort. Five or six well-trained zhangshao masters take turns stepping forward, wearing straw (felt) hats and sheepskin coats turned inside out (to ward off burns from the sparks); using willow-wood spoons soaked in water, they scoop up the red-hot molten iron and hurl it swiftly at the brick wall above the fort gate, where it bursts into golden tree-flowers, glittering and shimmering, dancing before one's eyes and falling at one's feet. The spectacle is magnificent, delivering a profoundly thrilling visual impact on the audience. The molten iron used in dashuhua reaches temperatures as high as 1,600 degrees Celsius, and even slight carelessness results in scalding, so dashuhua sets very high demands on its operators: they must not only have great strength and courage, to hurl willow-wood spoons carrying several kilograms of molten iron into the sky again and again, but also aim accurately and make it beautiful. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The furnace man and the ladle men": One crew smelts and carries the molten iron, another does nothing but throw it at the wall. "The two petitions of the furnace rite": Before lighting the furnace the master prays for the year and, separately, for the safety of those who throw the iron. "Wrist power with the wet willow ladle": Five or six men in felt hats and sheepskin coats throw sixteen-hundred-degree iron a storey up with wet willow ladles. "On a Lantern Festival night before the old fort": The golden rain falls on the crowd at the foot of the fort wall, sparks bursting both overhead and at their feet.
The furnace man and the ladle men
One crew smelts and carries the molten iron, another does nothing but throw it at the wall.
The two petitions of the furnace rite
Before lighting the furnace the master prays for the year and, separately, for the safety of those who throw the iron.
Wrist power with the wet willow ladle
Five or six men in felt hats and sheepskin coats throw sixteen-hundred-degree iron a storey up with wet willow ladles.
On a Lantern Festival night before the old fort
The golden rain falls on the crowd at the foot of the fort wall, sparks bursting both overhead and at their feet.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Liu Shangde was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Iron-flower Fireworks, with Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Iron-flower Fireworks in Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2021 (batch 5), with Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei as its declared area, and Wei County Cultural Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
In the mid-Ming Dynasty, owing to warfare and the thriving iron-smelting industry of the ancient town of Nuanquan, blacksmiths in the smithies drew inspiration from the sparks of splattering molten iron and invented dashuhua (tree-flower pounding).
05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage
National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yang Jianjun | Queshan, Henan | 05-3035 | Other regional school |
| Liu Shangde | Zhangjiakoushiwei, Hebei | — | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。