MOC names winner of crafts achievement award

2014-09-23

The recipient of the National Crafts Achievement Award, the highest honor in Taiwan’s crafts sector, was announced Sept. 19 by the Ministry of Culture.

“Shih Chih-hui is recognized for his commitment to preserving and promoting the crafting of wooden Buddha sculptures for over 60 years nationwide,” a MOC official said. “He is an asset to the cultural and creative industry, as well as a national treasure.”

The 79-year-old artisan, a native of Lukang Township in central Taiwan’s Changhua County, began his apprenticeship under his father Shih Hsiu-li in 1950. Shih senior was a revered craftsman skilled in the style of creating and decorating Buddha statues particular to the city of Quangzhou in Fujian province, mainland China.

According to the MOC, the eye-catching style is renowned for its intricate production process comprising wood shaping, clay surfacing, gold inlaying, resin weaving and painting.

“Shih is revered for creating vivid statues characterized by realistic proportions, regal postures and facial expressions,” the official said. “He also incorporates elements of Taiwan culture into the craft.”

In addition, the artist respects traditions governing the creation of iconography in Taiwan. These include worshipping the block of wood before it is touched by a carving knife and using auspicious items like cereal grains to imbue the deity’s consciousness into the sculpture.

The award is not the first major honor won by Shih during his long career. He was acknowledged by the MOC in 2011 as one of the most important traditional art artisans in Taiwan for his efforts to conserve the skills of making and decorating Buddha statues.

First presented in 2007, the annual award will be bestowed upon Shih at a special ceremony Oct. 5 at National Taiwan Museum in Taipei City.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=221967&CtNode=413)