Love for Art of Inscription丨郑州80后非遗传承人的“金石”情缘

　　As an important cultural tradition in China, the art of inscription is an ancient art that people conduct facsimile reproduction and research on the characters and patterns engraved on metal or stone in ancient times. It is a non-material traditional culture and art of high level, which integrates the three aspects of epigraphy, archaeology and aesthetics, and has very high historical value, cultural value and artistic value.

　　金石传拓艺术，是人们对流传至今的古代铸刻在金属或石头上的文字、图形进行拓制和研究的古老艺术，是我国一种重要的文化传统，也是集金石学、考古学、美学三位一体的非物质传统文化高层次艺术门类，具有非常高的历史价值、文化价值、艺术价值。

　　

 

　　In 2019, Liu Haotian's inscription items have been officially announced as municipal intangible cultural heritage by Zhengzhou Municipal Government. However, you may not know that the 13-year road of inscription originated from an unexpected lecture.

　　2019年，刘皓天的金石传拓项目正式被郑州市政府公布为非物质文化遗产市级项目。然而，历经13年的传拓之路，却源于一次偶然的课堂经历。

　　Born in a scholarly family, Liu Haotian has shown great interest in history, classics and traditional culture since childhood. He studied physics at Zhengzhou University. “He used to audit classes in Department of History in the north campus. Once the teacher happened to be talking about ancient epigraphy, which could inscribe carvings on masonry objects onto paper. I thought it was amazing and totally fascinating.” From then on, Liu Haotian fell in love with and began studying the art of inscription.

　　刘皓天出生于教育家庭，从小他就对历史、古典、传统文化表现出浓厚的兴趣。大学期间，他就读于郑州大学物理系。“那时候，常去郑大北院历史系蹭课听，有一次正好讲到古代金石学，能把砖石器物上的雕刻拓到纸上，当时觉得太神奇了，完全被吸引。”从此，刘皓天一发不可收拾地喜欢并钻研上了金石传拓。

　　

 

　　During the period, in order to have in-depth contact with inscription, Liu Haotian had studied with Pei Jianping, the master of inscription. Later, on this basis, with continuous technological innovation, he had developed from inscriptions and paintings in Han Dynasty to full forms of high relief inscription and 3D inscription of circular carving. “Different from traditional techniques, my inscriptions of paintings in Han Dynasty and relief have been improved.” His inscription method works as follows: sprinkle water on the paper, sweep the paper with occasional brushing, and ink the paper as soon as it is dry. The ink has five colors, with black and white sharply contrasted, and will not penetrate the paper, to conduct inscription under the principle of maximum protection of cultural relics.

　　其间，为了深入接触传拓，刘皓天曾师从于传拓大师裴建平，学习拓碑。后来，在这个基础上，他不断进行技术革新，从碑刻、汉画，发展到全形式高浮雕拓、圆雕立体效果拓。“我的汉画拓，浮雕拓不同于传统的技艺方法，在于在传统技艺的基础上有所改良。”刘皓天的拓法，以清水上纸，扫纸为主、打刷为辅，纸干上墨，墨分五色、黑白分明，墨不透纸，在最大程度保护文物的原则上进行施拓。

　　

 

　　Then Liu Haotian also studied the gold ink inscription on black rice paper, which showed an excellent 3D effect, and added a sense of resplendent solemnity. He called it gold inscription with 3D effect, which is an innovation on the basis of tradition and can be said to lead the direction of the era of inscription.

　　后来，刘皓天还研究在黑宣纸上金墨拓，不仅现出绝佳的立体感，还增添了金碧辉煌的肃穆感。他称之为金色立体效果拓，这是在传统基础上的创新，堪称引领传拓时代的方向。

　　

 

　　Over the past 13 years, Liu Haotian has done a lot of work for stone inscriptions, inscriptions on precipices, paintings in Han Dynasty, grottoes, and statues. Up to now, his inscription footprints have been all over Henan, Shanxi, Hebei, and Shandong. It is self-evident that the daily work of inscription to other places is very laborious. Not only should he be able to endure loneliness, but also he should have a healthy body. “Inscription requires 100 percent of the attention, allowing no slackness.” He is always too busy to have meals, leading to chronic eating disorders, which is the cause of stomach cramps.

　　13年来，刘皓天为碑刻、摩崖、汉画、石窟、造像做着大量传拓工作，至今传拓足迹遍布河南、山西、河北、山东等省域。到外地传拓的日常十分辛苦自然是不言而喻，不仅要耐得住孤独，更有来自对身体的考验。“传拓，讲求百分百的专心，容不得一丝马虎。”一忙起来，常顾不上吃饭，因此，导致长期饮食不规律，落下了胃痉挛的病根。

　　

 

　　So far, Liu Haotian's biggest work is rubbing of "Shanxi Shayu bas-reliefs on precipices" 10 meters high and 8 meters wide. He has successfully held 6 training sessions of inscription. His inscription skills have improved day by day and have formed his own unique system, well received by the experts and the industry. He has held exhibitions of his works in Shanghai, Shanxi and Shandong. His works have been collected by National Library of China, and Capital Library, and have been invited to participate in the national inscription art exhibition for many times.

　　目前为止，刘皓天最大的作品，是10米高，8米宽的“山西沙峪摩崖造像”拓片。他的金石传拓技艺日趋完善并形成自己的独特体系，受到专家及业内的一致好评，并成功举办过金石传拓培训班6期。传拓作品曾多次受邀参加全国金石传拓艺术展，先后在上海、山西、山东等地举办个人传拓作品展览。作品被国家图书馆、首都图书馆等收藏。

　　

 

　　“Inscription is my everything.” In the eyes of Liu Haotian, inscription will not get effect instantly, nor will make you rich. Only when you really love and focus on it, and deeply contact with it, can you gradually grasp the essence of the wisdom of our ancestors.

　　“金石传拓是我的一切。”在刘皓天眼里，金石传拓不是很快能带来成功和财富的行业，只有因为真心喜爱而专注其中，深入接触，才能逐渐触到先人智慧的精髓。

　　

 

　　In the future, Liu Haotian wants to do a lot of things about "inscription", including continuing the research, publication and exhibition of inscription culture, and building a museum of rubbings of his own. More importantly, he wants to pass on inscription rubbings and carry forward the inscription culture in central China.

　　未来，刘皓天想围绕“金石”做的事情颇多，包括继续于金石文化的研究、出版、展览，建一座属于自己的金石拓片博物馆，更重要的是让金石传拓得到传承，让中原的金石文化发扬光大。