As we all know, Dongyang woodcarving has a history of more than one thousand years. Together with "Qingtian Woodcarving" and "Boxwood Carving", it is known as the "Three Zhejiang Carvings". Its long history and exquisite craftsmanship make it a veritable "national treasure". However, the shortage of talent has become a major bottleneck for the development of this industry. In order to cultivate high-quality woodcarving masters and revitalize the traditional culture of Dongyang woodcarving, as well as improve the academic qualifications and technical levels of talents in the woodcarving industry and train a large number of woodcarving masters, after establishing the first national college-level major in woodcarving design and production, Guangsha Construction Vocational & Technical College opened the first national adult education class in woodcarving on February 25.
In 2008, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Guangsha Construction Vocational & Technical College established the first national major in woodcarving design and production. To date, it has enrolled more than 160 full-time students. President Xu Huachun once stated that the establishment of this major was partly due to considerations of protecting Dongyang woodcarving, an intangible cultural heritage, inheriting and revitalizing traditional industries; but also out of the need to promote regional economic development.
Since the establishment of the woodcarving major, the school has transformed the traditional single-skilled "master-apprentice" training model into a comprehensive knowledge and skills training model. By recruiting art candidates from ordinary high schools and vocational high school graduates in the fine arts category, they are cultivated into high-quality, highly skilled woodcarving professionals with a higher level of cultural and artistic refinement. At the same time, the school hired Lu Guangzheng, a master of Chinese arts and crafts, as the head of the department, Feng Wentu, Lu Guanghua, and other Chinese arts and crafts masters as part-time professors and associate professors, and recruited five practical guidance teachers with technician titles.
Last year, the first batch of woodcarving students graduated. Due to their outstanding skills and strong overall qualities, they were eagerly sought after by woodcarving and rosewood furniture manufacturers, and were snapped up even before graduation. Xu Qingxiang, a graduate, won a silver award at the National Masters' Woodcarving Art Exhibition held at the China National Museum with his work "Echoing Melody", and now earns over ten thousand yuan per month.
Considering the good development momentum of the woodcarving major, the school boldly opened the first national adult education class in woodcarving this year, enrolling woodcarving professionals from society for the first time. Xu Huachun hopes that through this move, more fresh blood can be provided for the woodcarving industry in Dongyang, while also cultivating more talents for this traditional craft.
At the opening ceremony of the first national adult education class in woodcarving, Lu Guangzheng, a master of arts and crafts in the Asia-Pacific region and a national master of arts and crafts, mentioned that during the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, the arts and crafts industry mainly consisting of woodcarving and rosewood furniture will still be one of the important industries that Dongyang focuses on building and nurturing. Under the situation where the industry shows signs of rapid growth, the popularity of woodcarving professionals naturally becomes inevitable. In terms of protecting and inheriting the intangible cultural heritage of Dongyang woodcarving, Guangsha College closely relies on the regional advantages of Dongyang as the hometown of arts and crafts, actively participates in the protection of local intangible cultural heritage and traditional industries, serves the local pillar industry, and its woodcarving students have already made a name for themselves in national competitions. Now, the first national adult education class in woodcarving has been opened, recruiting woodcarving professionals from society, bringing spring to the cultivation of innovative talents in Dongyang woodcarving.
National Master of Arts and Crafts Lu Guanghua believes that the current scarcity of woodcarving professionals has seriously affected the development of the woodcarving industry. Guangsha College, in order to serve Dongyang and Dongyang woodcarving, took the lead in establishing the major in woodcarving design and production, and for the first time recruited woodcarving professionals from society. This has made a great contribution to the cultivation and development of subsequent talents in the woodcarving profession. He hopes that through their own efforts and learning within the college, the students can soon become outstanding figures in the woodcarving industry and the new generation of woodcarving arts and crafts masters. (Editor: Yaya)