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It is not traceable
as to when the micro-carving was started, but we are sure that
it has been a Chinese culture.
¡@¡@At present, the earliest discovery of micro-carving was
found on inscriptions on bones on tortoise shells that were
done 3,000 years ago. During the Suei and Tong Dynasties(589-907),
micro-carvings were used on handkerchiefs, clothing, and small
pieces of paper to practice fraud at court written examinations.
It became gradually to an art until Song Dynasty(960-1127).
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| ¡@¡@During Ming and Ching Dynasty(1368-1912) artists carved human figures, animals and scenery on jade or ivory treasures. By the end of Ching Dynasty(1644-1912) and the early Republic, owing to continued wars, the micro-carving almost became extinct. |
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Micro-carving is to curve human
figures, animals, birds and flowers on a material and the carvings
are as tiny as a grain of rice on a nail. It forms a picture
or a penmanship art.
¡@¡@The micro-carving art must be in conjunction with the
foundation of aesthetics and the crafts of fine arts. Primarily
one must process exquisite workmanship foundation in drawing
and penmanship in addition to qigong, a system of deep breathing
exercises, for the control of breath so that one will not
tremble when making a fine carving on a material tiny as a
sand.
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| ¡@¡@Because a carving creation is made on a material tiny as a hair and the handwriting or drawing is so small as a micro organism, the handling of a carving knife cannot be seen stroke by stroke but can be depending upon a special hand-touch feeling that is learned through constant practice, tacit understanding, accumulated experience, strong will and right decision, and the carving is thus performed by taking a breath and following a tiny light. |
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And therefore, micro-carving is also called mini-carving, touch-carving, heart-feeling-carving and spirit-carving. |
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