Revitalize Your Senses With Pristine Art

Honored as the “City of Cultural Relics”， Ningbo has witnessed the flourish of its culture and art. On the one hand， the city is striving towards modernization； on the other hand， local people are extremely passionate about preserving and innovating traditional handicrafts. Totally there are about two hundred protected cultural relics of different grades in Ningbo. So， don’t be surprised to find skillfully carved handicrafts like the bamboo vases or animal figurines in local shops. Exploring those small boutiques to buy yourself some hand-made souvenirs would be a rewarding experience. Or suddenly you may have a chance to hear a melodious tone on an old stage. No matter what you may encounter， it will allow you a longer stay on this splendid land.

Exquisite beyond compare craftsmanship

For thousands of years， Ningbo has evolved into an integration of traditional culture and fashionable elements. Here， traditional handicrafts passed down from generation to generation can reveal special cultural connotations only belonging to this ancient coastal city.

Tracing back to the ancient times， the fact that people can use bone objects already existed. As early as in the period of Hemudu Culture， bones were applied as tools or utensils. Later， in order to satisfy people’s pursuit for beauty， they used bones for decorative purpose. And the art of bone-inlaid woodcarving （Gumuxiangqian） is hailed as one of the four treasures in Ningbo， together with woven bamboo article （Fanhuangzhuke）， cinnabar and gold lacquer woodcarving （Zhujinmudiao）， as well as gold and silver colored embroidery （Jinyincaixiu）. The distinguished feature of this traditional craft lies in inlaying animal bones engraved with lines and patterns into wood. Apart from bones， excellent materials such as Ivory， sheet copper， boxwood or shells can be carved into certain decorative patterns like vivid flowers， birds and pretty girl. In the Sui Dynasty （581-618）， bone-inlaid woodcarving was served as a tribute because of its delicacy and elegance. In modern times， Ningbo’s people apply the bone-inlaid woodcarving to various kinds of buildings， furniture and articles of daily use which are useful and can appreciate in value.

In addition to the typical bone-inlaid woodcarving， there are also many delicate products of woven bamboo. Woven bamboo article enjoys a long history dating back to the Qing Dynasty （1636-1912）. Only through a series of complex procedures including shaping， colored drawing， carving and painting， can a variety of crafts come into being， such as vivid animals or lively figures.

Speaking of the cinnabar and gold lacquer woodcarving， it originated during the Tang Dynasty and was prevalent in the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644） for it could be applied to people’s daily life like statues of Buddha， indoor decoration and even wedding beds. With high-quality timber such as camphor wood， amphora wood， bass wood or ginkgo wood as its raw materials， experienced craftsmen can create diverse and exquisite designs.

Just like the cinnabar and gold lacquer woodcarving， the gold and silver colored embroidery also first appeared in the Tang Dynasty and was developed into a popular handicraft until the Ming Dynasty. Traditionally， real gold and silver threads are applied in the embroidering process. The gold and silver colored embroidery， court-like and elegant， is on a par with Suzhou embroidery， Hunan embroidery， Sichuan embroidery and Guangdong embroidery.

Peerless theatrical art

Since Zhejiang Province is crowned as the “Cradle of Traditional Chinese Opera”， Ningbo， a historical city of Zhejiang， possesses three distinguished operas： Yong Opera， Yao Opera and Ninghai Flat Tune， which are referred to as “Three Golden Flowers”.

With a long history of more than 200 years， Yong Opera， formerly named “Chuanke”， is a typical folk tune deeply welcomed by local people. In the 16th year of the reign of Guangxu Emperor （1871-1908）， Yong Opera spread from the rural area to downtown of Ningbo. Yong opera， with its light melodies and wide themes， represents various scenes of life. Performed in strong dialect of local farmer， Yong Opera has also absorbed tunes of other popular folk songs and preserved the characters of the ordinary folk. In addition， the Ningbo government has joined hands with artists of Yong Opera to take measures to keep this cultural heritage alive. Its outstanding programs winning universal praise include Two Brothers， Wonderful Experiences of a Prodigal and Scissors in Half， and some of them highlight the romantic entanglement of lovers.

Ninghai Flat Tune， another kind of age-old art， originated in the late Ming Dynasty and flourished in the early Qing Dynasty. Previously， there was a custom of inviting opera troupes to perform the Ninghai Flat Tune which combines dramatic conflict with delicate performance when opening a new temple or an ancestral hall.

Playing tusks， a 400-year-old cultural heritage， is mainly used in Ninghai Flat Tune， enriching the facial performance of traditional Chinese opera. Enjoying an equal reputation with Face Changing of Sichuan Opera， playing tusks is a kind of stunt that requires unique performance skills. Every performer has to practice painfully to master this stunt. Accompanied by percussive instruments and both loud and graceful aria， performers flexibly and quickly control eight or ten tusks in their mouths with their tongues， teeth， lips and breathing. A series of fluent movements including biting， licking， gulping and disgorging should be involved when they play tusks to create cruel and greedy images on the stage.

Due to the fact that this skill is hard to acquire and master， playing tusks is commonly considered to be on the verge of extinction. In 2006， Ninghai Flat Tune was listed as a national cultural heritage. The Ninghai Flat Tune has more than 100 traditional repertoires， such as Small Money， White Gate Tower and Chenlin Saves His Master.