Iron-flower Fireworks
01 · Historical Records
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 · Core Techniques & Process
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.
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 · Regional Records & Related Items
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.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Iron-flower Fireworks.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The transmission of the dashuhua craft proceeds in three ways: first, through oral instruction and intuitive understanding, encompassing master-apprentice and family inheritance; second, training through performance, gaining substantive practice through daily learning and shows; third, through intangible cultural heritage training classes, in which relevant theoretical knowledge and technical essentials are studied. To better pass down this traditional folk custom, local authorities continuously strengthen the construction of related facilities, increase investment in transmission practice, and actively promote its display and dissemination through various media; the influence of Yuxian dashuhua is gradually expanding. Dashuhua embodies the artistic creativity and imagination of the local people, and also carries their hope that life will blaze as brightly as the tree flowers; it has marked cultural, social, and economic value.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Yang Jianjun 05-3035
- Liu Shangde
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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