Nanpi, Hebei: Intangible Cultural Heritage Copper Chasing, a Century-Old Craft Inherited

An ordinary sheet of copper blossoms into art in the hands of a representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Nanpi, Cangzhou, Hebei.

Copper chasing, also known as forged copper or hammered copper, involves craftsmen designing patterns on copper sheets and using hammers and chisels to create them. It embodies both the essence of flat painting and the techniques of sculpture.

The "Wangchang copper chasing relief" craft of Nanpi originated along the banks of the Grand Canal and has been passed down for a century. It is a Hebei provincial intangible cultural heritage project, now in its fourth generation, with Wang Chunyou and Wang Chunzhou as its representative inheritors.

The copper chasing process is complex and entirely handmade. Using hammers and chisels, artisans carve flowers, birds, insects, fish, figures, landscapes, and historical anecdotes. Each copper chasing work requires thousands of hammer strikes before a fine piece emerges. Works such as A Boat of Moonlight Passing Cangzhou and Escorts Do Not Shout in Cangzhou, full of Cangzhou characteristics and Grand Canal elements, are among its representative pieces.

After years of effort and exploration by copper chasing artisans, the "Wangchang copper chasing relief" craft has developed its own artistic style. From small engraved copper plaques just over ten centimeters to giant copper reliefs dozens of meters long, this intangible cultural heritage has been passed down in their hands.

Today, there is also an art museum for copper chasing, open free of charge to enthusiasts. Inheritors teach the craft hands-on, allowing everyone to experience the charm of this traditional craft up close.