[The surgery went well. Follow-up appointments every three months. If it hasn't spread, I won't have chemotherapy. I'll keep writing. Thank you for supporting the original.]
---- Blurb ----
Grandpa had never been to school and couldn't read. He only knew carpentry, yet when Duan Jiu started school, he tried to sound refined and gave him a formal name.
-- Yu Xin.
The "yu" in "blockhead."
Grandpa asked him, "Yu Xin, do you know what your name means?"
The year Grandpa died, in accordance with his last wishes, Duan Jiu took down the auspicious plaque that had hung high inside the shop for forty years.
It bore four simple yet profound characters, written in dignified strokes:
-- Craftsmanship Passed Down Through Generations.
In an era when the carpentry trade was short on young talent, Duan Jiu was a rare young artisan carrying on traditional craftsmanship.
Tables, beds, boxes, cabinets: every carving and every chisel stroke embodied the spirit of a craftsman.
He would show the whole world the exquisite artistry of traditional Chinese woodworking.
The soul of a great nation lies in the craftsmanship of its people. In every raised and recessed joint, every turn and fold, mortise-and-tenon joinery has dazzled the world for thousands of years.
Wood shavings and carved flourishes, soaring eaves and bracket sets: a tradition passed down through the ages, forging the soul of China.
Traditional Chinese culture must not be coveted, and Chinese culture must not be violated!
*
The townspeople all said that the old house on Peach Blossom Mountain was cursed, unclean, haunted, and unlucky to go near.
...But later, Duan Jiu never encountered any ghosts.
That night, in the moonlight and the thick white snow, he thought he saw a "white fox" spirit. That was the indelible impression Ye Qibai left on him.
As the saying goes, great things start with the small.
Duan Jiu approached life the way he approached his work: precise, meticulous, and focused, with not the slightest room for error. That was simply his nature.
So...
Duan Jiu thought seriously: he really had run into something out of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio that night, hadn't he?
*
#A block of wood and a white fox#
#You could have become famous for your looks, but you chose your craft#
#Only after moving in together under a contract did I realize I might be a little gay#
*
[Reader's Guide and Content Warnings]
★ The urge to write this came from the fact that South Korea successfully applied to register China's ancient mortise-and-tenon technology as its own intangible cultural heritage under the name "great carpenter." The author has censored a 10,000-word string of profanity below!!!
★ The story opens in 2008. I guess that doesn't make it a period novel...
★ The protagonist is the receiving partner. Traditional fine woodworking, a coming-of-age story, with an emotional arc. Once their relationship matures, they'll dote on each other.
★ Strong patriotic themes. I'm proud of my country, and every character loves their country. When traditional craftsmanship reaches its pinnacle, that love sinks deep into one's bones. A sense of national pride is inevitable.
★ The love interest has albinism, pale skin and white hair. His eyes are healthy, but he rarely sees sunlight and avoids strong ultraviolet rays year-round. He only seems frail.
★ The love interest is Rong Xiu's distant cousin. Laughs.
★ My dears, you're my bread and butter. Please read civilly and enjoy yourselves. Agree to disagree. If you like it, show your support; if you don't, please don't insult me. Don't get angry.
★ Most importantly, I hope anyone studying architecture, civil engineering, interior design, or furniture design, or anyone who works with mortise-and-tenon joints or studies bracket sets, will get in touch. I'd love to exchange ideas and learn from your guidance!
*
Weibo: @Jinjiang-Xi Weilai
Cover credits: Thanks to the dear reader "Jing Ye" for the handwritten cover design.
Theme: Start from the smallest details, reach the pinnacle of craftsmanship, and carry on the spirit of artisanship.
