Li Zuanmuquhuojiyi
01 · Historical Records
Records of fire-making by drilling wood in China can be traced back to Suiren Shi (the Fire Driller). The Hanfeizi·Wudu says that the people of high antiquity ate fruits, clams, and mussels whose fishy and foul smell harmed their stomachs, so a sage drilled wood to make fire and dispel the fishiness. What the Li people practice is precisely this lineage, only with simpler tools. The days of slash-and-burn cultivation turned fire-making into a daily task, and drilling wood for fire was in the past one of the survival skills relied upon by Li men. Wang Zhaoliang can ignite the sparks raised by friction within two minutes, relying on the hand-drilling and bow-drilling methods—two manual techniques—rather than any external aid. When this skill changed from a means of survival into a display item, what was first lost was not the tools but the speed. The more than one hundred sets of fire-making tools made for the special exhibition hall at Betel Nut Valley, and the training of over four hundred person-times, precisely show that it can now only be maintained through repeated practice.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
In ancient China there is the legend of Suiren Shi drilling wood to make fire. The Hanfeizi·Wudu mentions: "In the age of high antiquity, … the people ate fruits, clams, and mussels whose fishy and foul smell harmed their stomachs, and many people fell ill. A sage arose, drilled wood to make fire and dispel the fishiness, and the people rejoiced and made him rule the world, naming him Suiren Shi." The Li people's hand-drilling fire-making tool consists of two parts: a fire-drilling board and a drilling rod (or bow wood). The fire-drilling board is hewn from the softer mountain-hemp wood, generally about 35 cm long, 7 to 10 cm wide, and 3 to 5 cm thick, with several small pits dug on one side; the bottom of each pit is a soot channel through which the sparks fall. The drilling rod (or bow wood) is 50 to 60 cm long, made of hard miscellaneous wood, 3 to 5 cm in diameter, with the lower end slightly pointed, conical in shape. In addition, tinder such as pith down, banana-root fiber, and kapok fluff is needed. To make fire, press the fire-drilling board with the foot, insert the drilling rod into a small pit, and rub the rod or bow with both hands so that mechanical energy converts to heat energy, producing sparks. The sparks fall along the channel and ignite the tinder. When the tinder begins to smoke, quickly pick it up and blow on it to help it catch, thereby drawing out a flame.
Choosing wood for the fire board
The fire board is hewn from soft castor wood, about 35 cm long, 7 to 10 wide and 3 to 5 thick, soft yet firm enough not to collapse.
Boring the sockets and ash groove
Several small sockets are bored on one side with a groove at the bottom; the slope of the groove decides where the sparks fall.
Drill shaft and bow
The shaft or bow is 50 to 60 cm long, of hard wood 3 to 5 cm thick and slightly conical at the tip; the bow method needs a taut string to carry the force.
Hand drilling
The board is held underfoot, the shaft set in a socket and twirled between both palms until friction makes sparks that fall along the groove.
Bow drilling
In the bow method a string drives the shaft back and forth; bringing sparks to light within two minutes depends on matching string tension to board hardness.
Tinder and fanning
Tinder of down, banana-root fibre or cotton fluff is needed, and once the sparks catch it must be lifted and fanned at once to bring the flame up.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Li people's fire-making by drilling wood is mainly distributed across the Li-inhabited areas in the central and southern parts of Hainan Island, including the cities of Sanya, Wuzhishan, and Dongfang, and the counties of Qiongzhong, Baoting, Lingshui, Ledong, Changjiang, and Baisha.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
In the present era, the necessity of drilling wood for fire long ago ceased to exist, and those who know this craft are few; measures must be taken promptly for its rescue and protection. Wang Zhaoliang (from the official archive of the associated inheritor): Male, Li ethnicity, born in March 1954, a native of Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County, Hainan Province. A representative inheritor of the fifth national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage items, for the Li fire-making by drilling wood craft. A Li fire-making-by-drilling technician. The Li people have made a living by slash-and-burn cultivation since ancient times, and drilling wood for fire was in the past one of the survival skills relied upon by Li men. He skillfully uses simple wooden fire-making tools such as the drilling rod and board, and with methods such as hand-drilling and bow-drilling, can ignite the sparks raised by friction within two minutes. In February 2009, he went to Beijing to participate in the filming of the opening episode "Drilling Wood for Fire" of Chinese Craftsmanship, produced by the science and education channel of CCTV. He is devoted to making fire-drilling tools and training successors, having produced more than one hundred complete sets of fire-drilling tools for the intangible-heritage special exhibition hall at the Hainan Betel Nut Valley Li and Miao Cultural Tourism Scenic Area, and trained inheritors over four hundred person-times.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Wang Zhaoliang 05-2780
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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