Taiwan artisan creates wooden masterpieces with local flourishes

2020/09/07

Woodworking master Huang Chun-chieh has received countless accolades over his long and distinguished career, but none compare to his latest honor: crafting the wooden stands and trays that held the seals of state for President Tsai Ing-wen’s second-term inauguration ceremony May 20 in Taipei City.

 With decades of experience, Huang—a professor in the Department of Wood Science and Design at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in the southern Taiwan county—was the natural choice for the honor.

Born in 1957 in the southeastern county of Taitung, Huang majored in furniture making at local Kung Tung Technical Senior High School. After graduation, he stayed on at the school, rapidly advancing from teaching assistant to full-fledged instructor and playing a pivotal role in turning the establishment into one of the leading carpentry training institutes in the country.

 Huang’s woodworking utilizes traditional techniques such as inlay and mortise-and-tenon joints, which have been used for thousands of years to securely interlock pieces of wood without using nails, though today supplemental adhesives are often applied to strengthen the hold. This approach used by ancient Chinese artisans matured during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) into a simple-yet-graceful style prioritizing effective use of wood materials, Huang said.

The art traveled from southern China’s Fujian and Guangdong provinces to Taiwan, where it continued evolving. Under Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945), wooden furniture began incorporating Western elements popular in Japan at the time. As a result, the mortise-and-tenon structural system Huang uses today reflects the rich, multifaceted art culture of Taiwan. “We’ve cultivated a distinctive homegrown style that combines Eastern and Western features while resonating with our own ideas and ingenuity,” Huang said.

 With high-quality, understated designs, Huang’s work is acclaimed in the art world, taking center stage in collections at Ministry of Culture-administered National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute in central Taiwan’s Nantou County. Among the pieces on display is a dressing table titled Graceful Being recognized for its classical elegance with a modern touch, receiving first prize in an NTCRI-organized national crafts competition.

 Throughout his career, Huang has remained devoted to fostering a modern approach to woodworking. Now, he can also take pride in the fact his work has borne the highest symbol of state.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)