Ancient pipa spurs young man to revive traditional art

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‍This is the sandalwood pipa treasured by the Japanese emperor for 1,300 years. And this is the only one in the world.

It has four strings, pear-shaped with its wooden body curved elegantly. It was gifted to Emperor Shōmu (701-756) by Chinese emperor Xuanzong (685-762) and his concubine Yang Guifei in Tang Dynasty.

Sandalwood Pipa. Source: Official Website of Nara National Museum

The pipa is now in Shosoin, Japan, where a lot of cultural artifacts in Japan and China are kept. It is this pipa that attracted Qi Tian, a then 32-year-old architecture major graduate.

‍CGTN Photo

The patterns on the back showed the ancient technique of wood inlay, using precious materials such as ivory, dyed antlers, sandalwood, ciricote and boxwood. He was overwhelmed by the beauty of the pipa on display, saying that it "outweighs any top brand."

Sandalwood Pipa. Source: Official Website of Nara National Museum

Astounded by the beauty of the art in Tang Dynasty (618-907), Qi decided to bring its beauty back to the modern time: "I want to promote the aesthetic tendency through my works.” With his other two friends, they built their own brand, DMLJ. They returned home, rented a yard in Beijing and embarked on their trip as designers and craftsmen.

Qi Tian. /By CGTN

But it didn't prove to be easy. A nail-sized flower consists of 15 small pieces of wood and a handbag covered with this kind of pattern would need 758 wooden components. Every one of them has to be polished, cut and inlaid precisely.

One of the wooden bag Qi Tian's team was working on. Source: Sohu

"We have now up to a hundred detailed procedures to make a bag. We use the best materials from the very beginning, and dry them for a long time in the air and in the oven. Then we need to settle the wood. You might say that I'm too harsh. But I may find a crack too wide to be acceptable, even when it's only a bit wider than a hair. When I don't approve it, I'd have it done all over again.”

CGTN Photo

After seven years of endeavor, DMLJ became one of the state gift in the One Belt One Road forum in 2017. And lots of the local cultural protection bureau contacted them in a bid to research the traditional skills and preserve the art together.

A piece of the wooden bag. Source: Sohu

“Each piece of art that is passed down and collected in the museum represents the highest art and skills by that time. I don’t know if what I am doing now would be recognized in time. I just hope that we can put our humble and modest hearts to each step that completes the so-called art.” said Qi Tian.

The bags which are displayed in Qi Tian's workshop. /By CGTN

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