Juzhuangxiju Making Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
This is inseparable from the fact that, since the Yuan dynasty, Beijing has continuously served as the political, economic, and cultural center of China, fostering a rich atmosphere of traditional opera culture. Representative examples of soft-crown headwear include the luomao (silk cap), zhanmao (felt cap), qiaoliangjin, xuezhejin (scholar's cap), and yuanwaijin (gentleman's cap). These were not only everyday headwear in the past but also common stage props in operatic performance. The hard-crown kuitou (opera helmet), by contrast, evolved from ancient practical military helmets and differs considerably from them in artistic expression. The Qing-dynasty archives of the Shengping Office (Imperial Household Department's troupe bureau) contain numerous records concerning the kuitou workshop.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The craft of making opera kuitou (helmets) is one of the techniques within the broader craft of theatrical costume and prop making. It is distributed mainly around large cities in northern and southern China where the atmosphere of traditional opera culture is comparatively strong. In the north, for example, kuitou making in Beijing and in Dingxing, Hebei is dominated by the Li Jizong family, whose history is long and whose command of the craft is relatively comprehensive. The kuitou-making craft developed from the ancient craft of making practical crowns and hats. Kuitou, including both soft and hard varieties, are used primarily in operatic performance. They are indispensable stage props required by various traditional operas—such as Peking opera (jingju), Kunqu, pingju, bangzi (clapper opera), Sichuan opera (chuanju), Yue opera, and Jin opera—during stage performance, and they are also made into souvenirs to satisfy the collecting needs of opera enthusiasts. The Li family's opera kuitou craft excels at making soft and hard kuitou in different styles for the various schools of Peking opera, Kunqu, bangzi, and other operas, as well as qiemo (stage props), preserving many ancient techniques and forms. The hard-work techniques include smoking the pattern (xunyang), cutting out the shape (zuhuo), cloisonné wire inlay (qiasi), lining assembly (heli), ironing (yuntang), gluing (shujiao), lacquering (shigi), gilding (tiejin), kingfisher-feather inlay (diandiancui), and finishing (chenghuo). The soft-work techniques include building up the base (dietai), assembly (zuhe), wire pinching (qiaxian), face plaque (mianpai), coiled-dragon roller (gunzilong), black dot (heidian), and meeting-mouth wire (pengkousi). According to historical records, in the Yuan and Ming periods Beijing already had a 'kuitou workshop' (kuitou zuo) and a 'kuitou lane' (kuitou xiang)—workshops and a workshop district specialized in manufacturing kuitou. The Li Jizong Li-family kuitou can be traced back to the late-Qing court craftsman known as the 'palace person' (gongzhong ren). The 'palace person' passed the craft to Li Zhaorui, manager of the Juxinglong kuitou shop, who in turn passed it to his sons Li Zhaolin and Li Hongchang, and then to Li Jizong. Kuitou is one of the carriers of ancient Chinese crown-and-hat culture and opera culture. Its making craft encompasses the complete process flow from soft-crown and hard-crown making, through qiemo (props) and the kui-box (helmet chest) art, to related ancillary trades. It holds considerable value and positive significance for the study of ancient costume systems and operatic stage design, and for promoting ritual-and-music culture and operatic art.
Archival Record of Process Steps
Kuitou is one of the carriers of ancient Chinese crown-and-hat culture and opera culture. Its making craft encompasses the complete process flow from soft-crown and hard-crown making, through qiemo (props) and the kui-box (helmet chest) art, to related ancillary trades. It holds considerable value and positive significance for the study of ancient costume systems and operatic stage design, and for promoting ritual-and-music culture and operatic art.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The craft of making opera kuitou is one of the techniques within the broader craft of theatrical costume and prop making. It is distributed mainly around large cities in northern and southern China where the atmosphere of traditional opera culture is comparatively strong. In the north, for example, kuitou making in Beijing and in Dingxing, Hebei is dominated by the Li Jizong family, whose history is long and whose command of the craft is relatively comprehensive. The kuitou-making craft developed from the ancient craft of making practical crowns and hats; kuitou, including both soft and hard varieties, are used primarily in operatic performance and are part of the stage wardrobe (xingtou) of such genres as Peking opera, Kunqu, pingju, bangzi, and Sichuan opera.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Juzhuangxiju Making Craftsmanship · Juzhuangxiju Making Craftsmanship · Juzhuangxiju Making Craftsmanship.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
This item has been transmitted within the family from generation to generation, now spanning five generations. The Li family has also widely taken on disciples in society, expanding the body of inheritors through master–apprentice oral transmission, thereby promoting the development of the item.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Li Rongsen 01-0194
- Sun Ying 03-1340
- Li Jizong
- Zhang Hua
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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