By Staff Reporters

Brick carving, an art form in Chinese architectural sculpture, refers to the intricate craftsmanship of carving landscapes, flowers, figures, and other rich patterns on blue bricks.

The reason why blue bricks have become the preferred material for carving lies in their compact and delicate texture, combined with excellent compressive strength and durability. Their hardness is moderate, making them easy to carve while maintaining solidity. Additionally, blue bricks have low water absorption, avoiding deformation caused by moisture or dryness. Their uniform texture facilitates the carving of fine and symmetrical patterns and lines. Meanwhile, the earthy blue-gray tone of blue bricks conveys a sense of steadiness and elegance, perfectly blending into the traditional architectural style.

The production process of brick carving is intricate, requiring craftsmen with rich experience to utilize various techniques such as relief carving and hollow-out carving to vividly depict patterns on blue bricks. Relief carving makes parts of the pattern protrude from the brick surface, creating a distinct three-dimensional effect. Hollow-out carving involves removing some material from blue bricks to create hollow patterns, giving the works a transparent and light feeling. When light penetrates through the hollowed-out sections, a unique light and shadow artistic effect is produced.

Brick carvings encompass a diverse range of themes, including auspicious animals like dragons and phoenixes from legends, characters from folk stories, exquisite flowers and plants such as peonies and lotus, and symbols of fortune and longevity, all of which embody the profound essence of Chinese traditional culture.