During the day, Wu Canxun, a post-90s man from Xintang, Zengcheng, works as a chef. After work, he applies his decorative carving skills learned from cooking to sculpting dragon heads for dragon boats. In recent years, his dragon head sculptures have gained increasing attention beyond Zengcheng, showcasing his talent and craftsmanship to the public.

Developed a passion for crafting dragon heads in his teens

Wu Canxun is from Changxiang Village, Xintang Town. Recently, he has been rushing to complete a new dragon head sculpture. The process of carving a dragon head typically involves several steps: selecting and preparing wood, outlining the design, rough carving, detailed carving, refining, repeated polishing, applying primer, painting, and drying. Wu has set up a studio at his home where he spends his spare time each day meticulously crafting dragon heads. He pays attention to every detail, from selecting materials to perfecting carving.

Changxiang Village in Xintang Town is a waterside community where Wu grew up surrounded by traditional dragon boat culture. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by dragon boats, actively participating in related activities, and documenting them. Making simple dragon boat heads became his hobby. His mother, Li Xia, vividly remembers his early days experimenting with making dragon boat heads, "he started showing interest in dragon boat culture when he was about thirteen or fourteen. During holidays, he would stay at home to craft dragon boat heads. Despite the lack of proper materials, he managed to create lifelike models with materials like grilled bamboo, transparent glue, and paper. His vivid works were welcomed by neighbors as they invited him to make dragon heads. It's amazing how he's kept at it all these years and only gotten better!"

Applying his culinary carving skills to sculpting dragon heads

In his earlier years of learning cooking, Wu Canxun honed his skill in food carving, which earned him numerous awards. Later on, he decided to apply this carving technique to sculpting dragon heads. Initially, he practiced on foam, but as his skills improved over time, he chose to use wood for carving.

Over the past few years, Wu has gained recognition for his dragon head sculptures, attracting clients from nearby villages and towns. He has even established a long-term collaboration with a dragon boat factory in Dongguan. His sculptures are distinguished by their personal style, featuring smooth lines, precise expressions, and a powerful and majestic appearance, making them particularly popular among young people.

Since 2017, Wu has participated in multiple competitions and achieved excellent results with his dragon head carving skills. In early May this year, the Bai'etan Greater Bay Area Art Center in Guangzhou officially opened, featuring a traditional dragon boat adorned with Wu Canxun's carved dragon head on display at the Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. Wu remarked, "My grandfather performed lion dances, and my maternal grandfather crafted bamboo birds. Influenced deeply by my elders and the rich dragon boat culture of Changxiang Village, I have passionately pursued dragon head carving for many years. I hope to continue this dedication, improving my skills and inspiring more young people to embrace dragon boat culture."

Source :Yangcheng Evening News

广州增城丨这名90后上班是厨师，下班是龙头雕刻师！

上班是厨师，下班是龙头雕刻师。增城新塘90后青年吴灿勋将烹饪练得的雕花手艺用到龙船头雕刻中。近年来，他雕刻的龙头作品冲出增城，不断获得外界关注。

龙舟文化熏陶他从10多岁热爱制作龙头

吴灿勋是新塘镇长巷村人，最近他正在赶工制作新龙头。龙头雕刻一般包括开木料、画线稿、粗雕、细雕、精雕、反复打磨、上底漆、上面漆、风干油漆等多个工序。吴灿勋在自己家里专门设置了工作室，每天利用业余时间从事龙头雕刻，从选材到雕刻工艺，每一个环节，他都精益求精。

长巷村是新塘镇的水乡村落，吴灿勋自小受到传统龙舟文化的熏陶，关注龙舟，参与龙舟活动，收集记录以及制作简易的龙船头成了他的爱好。妈妈李霞对吴灿勋年少时摸索制作龙船头的往事至今依然历历在目：“他十三四岁就开始对龙舟文化感兴趣，每逢节假日就宅在家里捣鼓制作龙船头。当时，他没有现成的材料，就用烧烤的竹子、透明胶、纸等材料做，制作成龙头的模样，再涂颜色。那时已经做得很生动，左邻右舍都喜欢请他做龙船头来摆放。想不到的是他可以坚持这么多年，而且越做越好！”

将厨师雕花技艺应用于龙头雕刻

吴灿勋早年学习烹饪的时候，练就一手食物雕花技艺，作品屡屡获奖。后来，吴灿勋尝试把这门雕花手艺用到雕刻龙头上。最初，他从雕刻泡沫龙头开始练习，手艺随着时间越来越精进，便开始改用木头来进行雕刻。

过去几年，吴灿勋雕刻龙头逐渐有了名气，附近的村镇都有客户前来定做，东莞的龙舟厂更是与他建立长期的合作关系。只因他雕刻龙头极具个人特色，线条流畅，神态拿捏到位，形态威武霸气，深得广大年轻人喜爱。

2017年至今，吴灿勋凭着雕刻龙头的手艺多次参与比赛，屡获佳绩。今年5月初，广州白鹅潭大湾区艺术中心正式开放，吴灿勋雕刻的龙头被装到一艘传统龙舟上，在广东省非物质文化遗产馆对外展示。吴灿勋表示：“我的爷爷会舞狮，外公会做竹扎小鸟。我从小受长辈的影响深，再加上长巷村龙舟文化氛围浓厚，所以我这么多年热爱并坚持雕刻龙头。希望能一直坚持下去，专注提升技艺之余，身体力行影响更多的青少年，让更多人爱上龙舟文化。”

采写 | 新快报记者 谢源源 通讯员 区伟贤 张丽 何广房
翻译 | 林佳岱