Zhang Weichao, known as the “Dragon Boat Youth”, carved impressive-looking dragon heads that were selected by Zhang Yimou’s team and displayed in the “Grain in Ear” of the 24 Solar Terms countdown in the opening ceremony of Beijing 2022. Since then, Zhang Weichao has become famous, but he does not compromise on quality to get more orders for his unique creations. The creation of a dragon head requires more than ten complex procedures, including material selection, design, carving, polishing, and painting. Before designing each dragon head, he conducts research on cultural symbols and holds meetings with residents to discuss the project, and starts creating a dragon head only when everything is planned out. Therefore, Zhang Weichao’s dragon heads are known for their uniqueness and personality, and each one has its distinctive features.  #artandculture

张伟潮在船厂和自己制造的龙头合影 苏荇摄

张伟潮教小朋友制造小龙头 羊城晚报品牌中心供图

“龙舟青年”张伟潮在龙舟界鼎鼎有名，他雕的龙头器宇轩昂，被张艺谋导演团队选中，在冬奥会开幕式24节气倒计时“芒种”片段中破水而出。自从龙头登上冬奥会后，张伟潮一炮而红，但他并不会因为追求订单数量而降低质量，选材、设计、开坯、雕刻、打磨、上漆等，一个龙头的诞生需要经过十几道繁琐工序，而且每一个龙头设计之前，都遵循到客户村落调研、挖掘当地文化符号，和当地人开会讨论后确定方案的流程，再动手开工。因此，张伟潮雕的龙头常被人称为“有个性”“有脾气”，几乎每一个龙头都各具特色。

【作者】

文/羊城晚报全媒体记者 苏荇 柴智 实习生 林珑