Monday, December 29, 2014

石灣的陶塑

看這座陶塑,大家有沒有覺得這個人很眼熟 

上唇留著八字胡寬額方形臉,稠密粗莽的平頭發型﹔坐在藤椅上,一手拿著書,一手夾根煙,魯迅先生正在沉思默想怎樣改善民生國運。 

这是石灣的美術陶塑,廣東人稱之石灣公仔 

陶塑大略分兩大類:一種是體積很小的山石亭宇,人物鳥獸等等,供作為盆景的配件。 

這種微塑,其工藝十分粗糙,造型也極致簡單﹔雖然談不到什麼陶塑藝術,但是這些小巧玲瓏的陶塑將使整個盆景更富於生氣和情趣。 

另一種是體積在425公分之間的陶塑,以人物為主,其次是鳥獸花果。創作題材都取自歷史故事,神話和民間傳說。 

我的書櫃中還有幾十個780年代前經商時留下的樣品。細觀這些陶塑,可以領會到陶師的制作工藝和雕塑技術,尤其是那神形兼備的人物,真是件令人驚嘆珍惜的藏品。

這些石灣的陶制塑像,人物面部和手腳都用黃赭色的陶土來都塑造,更不施釉讓五官四肢相近人體膚色。 

陶師運用了高超的泥塑技巧,塑捏推貼,捺削刻畫出人像的體量形神再以景襯人, 讓陶塑更加生動。 

我不敢對各個樣品做評價,在這裡只描述幾個我特別喜愛的陶塑。



一個武松立眉瞪眼,右手兩指剛勁前指,左手屈肘橫臂胸前, 一個趴在地上的惡霸蔣門神舉手求饒。這兩個動作帶出武鬆醉打蔣門神的神氣。



怒目圓瞪,齜牙咧嘴,左手挽袖,右手前伸,彎腰趨前,這是馗捉鬼的典型形象,塑得非常傳神。 

那個年代市場上最常見的群雕,有如漁翁,樵夫,飲酒,吹簫,賞梅,彈琴,看書,題詩公七件單體人物組成的隱士像,五款老翁打太極拳,蓬萊八仙,福祿壽三星,十八羅漢等等。

還有神醫華佗,蘇武牧羊, 軍事家孫臏, 蜀漢丞相諸葛亮, 至聖先師孔子,菩提達摩等等,每一個人物的個性形態,行走坐臥,動作各異都雕塑得十分細膩。 

除此之外, 不施釉彩或素胎的飛禽走獸的陶塑,隻隻維妙維肖栩栩如生。 

今天走進工藝品店,就會見到很多這些陶塑。古董收藏家有句俗話:昨天的現玩是今天古玩,今天的現玩是明天的古玩。哪不妨買一兩件石灣的陶制塑像,既可作為家居擺設,也好當作明日的寶貴遺產 

 

寫於: 2014年12月29日

http://huctan.blogspot.com/2014/12/blog-post_29.html

Saturday, December 27, 2014

石灣的陶煲

附圖的這種質料陶煲, 全是廣東省東莞市的產品, 非石灣貨也。

今天要講的石灣陶煲,是上了60歲的我們,再熟悉不過的東西了。陶土夾砂粒,細薄堅硬的超輕炊具,這些特征在普通陶器很少看到。可惜這類硬陶器, 現在已消失在市場中了,我很懷戀石灣硬陶煲。

數江西景德鎮,湖南醴陵,河北唐山,山東淄博等著名瓷器,產品是越來越精美高貴;若皆規類為高檔貨,那潮州汕頭的老雞粗碗和廣東石灣的陶制炊具,豈不是變為落伍的東西呢?

但事實上並不是這樣,即使今天,大多數家庭主婦都使用電飯鍋,慢燉鍋;石灣陶煲,改良的品种還是廚房炊具不可缺少的配件。

石灣的陶煲,以飯煲,粥煲,茶煲為三煲,是由崗砂摻入當地的陶土制成的炊具。

因燒陶時,在石与土伸缩程度不同的物理演化下,砂露而土縮;故此陶煲表面摸起來很粗糙。不過,陶質卻具有良好的耐熱性能。

煲內涂以用稻草,谷糠之類燒成的草木灰,參與石灰制成的黑色或褐色底釉。釉質不會與蔬菜,中草藥,谷類成分發生化學反應,故是個安全的炊具。

飯煲,亦稱單柄(把手也叫橫耳)或雙柄砂煲。這種由古代陶器演化而來的炊具,用來煮飯和燉,燜,煨食物,肯定烹調出色香味俱全的菜飯。

今天咖喱魚頭,肉骨茶,瓦煲飯攤採用的器皿, 就是這類的砂煲。

因為現今石灣貨越來越貴,業者多數已改用本地貨,如怡保陶土制作的砂煲,飯攤排檔已沒用石灣生產的硬陶砂煲了。

入口中國的砂煲,則多來自石灣鎮隔水相望的東莞市,可以說大部分石灣陶煲,已被東莞貨取代了。


粥煲,分高矮圓鼓型,平寬的底座,讓粥煲不易翻倒, 使用煮粥或燉湯極安全。高質地的石灣硬陶粥煲,頗受家庭主婦的青睞。

在還沒有電藥煲或慢燉鍋的年代,一般老人家必定用石灣生產的硬陶茶煲煎熬中藥。

茶煲,叫“gib siu”比較通俗。在陶瓷碗店的正確名稱為大茶,二茶,三茶,分為大中小三種型號,以容納中草藥的分量。

陶制茶煲在於煎煮出草藥有效的成分後,熄火數分鐘,煲內依然熱量持續循環,翻滾。

由於對病痛懷有恐懼心理,而產生的服藥禁忌,所以藥到病除後,老人家即會將茶煲打爛,以志不會病復再服藥。今天使用電藥煲的人家,有誰舍得隨意扔掉電藥煲呢?

石灣還出產不少家庭和商業硬陶用品,如鼓型存钱陶罐,瓦罉,糖缸,酒缸,醬缸,菜甕,魚缸,油埕,花盆等等陶器。

可惜石灣的硬陶三煲, 没有留下一两件来作纪念;廚房櫥櫃裡倒有一個石灣的硬陶有蓋鹽罐,用了卅,四十年,釉質依然光彩如新。

除了日用器皿,石灣的鳥獸蟲魚,人物陶塑等各種擺設飾品,其獨特的藝術風格,受到中外人士的贊賞。

下回再來講述石灣的陶塑。

寫於: 2014年12月27

http://huctan.blogspot.com/2014/12/blog-post_27.html

Thursday, December 25, 2014

站在高崗上



站在高崗上
作詞:姚敏 作曲:司徒明
演唱:姚敏姚莉

連綿的青山百裡長呀   巍巍聳起像屏障呀喂
青青的山嶺穿雲霄呀  白雲片片天蒼蒼呀喂

連綿的青山百裡長呀  郎在崗上等紅妝呀喂
青青的山嶺穿雲霄呀  站著一個有情郎呀喂

我站在高崗上遠處望  那一片綠波海茫茫
你站在高崗上向下望  是誰在對你聲聲唱

連綿的青山百裡長呀   郎情妹意配成雙
呀喂 
青青的山嶺穿雲霄呀 我們相該愛在高崗, 在高崗。

Thursday, December 18, 2014

于右任題名的《潮汕字典》


那年搬家,不得已像在菜市,以斤論價將大部分的舊書賤賣,真的是心痛啊!

這本書的品相,單看殘缺和破損程度,又髒又破,早該丟棄了。

可是就因為它是先父一生看不完的書,所以舍不得將它賣掉,才把它保存做個永久紀念。

一本方言字典,本來就不值什麼錢,但今天對我來說,它可是價值連城。

除了傳承我潮汕語言的文化,真正還為我更正不少那半咸甜的潮汕話。

說到國民黨元老于右任為《潮汕字典》題寫書名﹔在檳城中路的閱書報社(孫中山紀念館)和晉江會館都可以看到他留下的墨寶。






Thursday, December 11, 2014

《傳統店屋的解碼》講座會


這是一場內容豐富,配與精彩的圖片資料,引導聽眾進入喬治市老屋, 欣賞老屋之美的講座會。

不僅讓我了解,何以殖民時代流行的窄長建筑式樣﹔雕在氣窗,門窗錯綜復雜的圖案,無不蘊藏財富及吉祥寓意, 還有不少藝術特點。

僅將剪報存於此,不枉聽了玉裳小姐的專業知識。








Sunday, December 7, 2014

由“CHIDAMBARAM”說檳城的葱茨入口商

7, 80年代, 馬新經營印度貨出入口商, 無人不識“CHIDAMBARAM”號客貨輪船。

這艘一萬七千噸級的海洋客貨輪船,每個月載約七百名旅客及大批貨物,川行檳城與馬德拉(Madras, 既是今天的Chennai) 港口。

只要見到“CHIDAMBARAM”靠岸瑞典咸碼頭(Sweetenham Pier),就知道准有印度棉紡麻織品,南巴料,干冬薯,吉靈棗等等生貨雜糧,尤其是茨新貨上市啦。

茨的市場很廣闊,除了印度人外,是華人,馬來人和其他種族人廚房裡必不可少的調料。

檳城類的入口操於印度商之手,他們主要集中在所謂小印度的伯公街(King Street),皇后街(Queen Street), 義興街(Church Street), 大街(China Street)﹔華人入口商居於次要地位。

當年輪船貨艙的散風系統還不很完善,茨易腐爛變質。而印度出口商在運船期間,往往不能對生貨變質施於有效的控制﹔ 故沒有保險公司願意接保。

假如向印度源頭的代理商訂購,茨運抵檳後,發現腐爛得不可收拾,或是貨色不對辦,代理商均不負責賠償,那檳城的入口商就得虧大本。

咱們老店與成吉利寶號為鄰五,六十年,略知經營入口印度茨是一門高風險生意,在很大程度上是看“CHIDAMBARAM” 貨輪吃飯。

它在檳城港口碼頭卸貨時,曾發生一起意外事故。

事情原因印度港口工人,不理雨水滴濺入竹籮的洋,依然將貨卸進“CHIDAMBARAM”貨艙。經過一個星期的航程,庫存在船艙的洋,因潮濕而腐爛, 並且散發有害的毒氣。

進入船貨艙前,碼頭工人通常會放一隻活雞下去探毒氣,若拉上來的雞隻,仍是活生生的,那斷定貨艙空氣質量都沒有問題, 可以下去工作。

哪知是趟沒有做足探毒措施,幾個勞工冒然爬梯下艙,造成幾名工友中毒死亡。這是當年一段轟動的新聞。

1985年它在孟加拉灣航行途中突然起火,大火蔓延到旅客艙,有40多名旅客來不及逃生窒息死亡。不久,船隻就被賣掉拆廢了。

少了“CHIDAMBARAM”的航行,市場的印度貨出現短缺現象,也給檳城部分經營印度貨的商業活動陷入停頓狀態。可見輪船運輸業對有些貿易商有間接的影響。

論排名華人專營茨之首,非有“頭王”稱號的金源庄寶號莫屬。80年代在港仔口(Beach Street)與吉隆坡鵝嘜(Gombak),店門倉庫前,排列數十輛大型紅色車頭運貨卡車的陣容,風光一時,可惜後來竟做到關門大吉。

猶記比較著名的華營印度茨類入口批發商如下。

港仔口(Beach Street)還有榮源棧, 四海棧﹔中街的南美公司,成吉利,成和源,鼎豐寶號,德豐號,倪兩興有限公司,打鐵街的建興棧,振德盛有限公司,瑞興棧, 和海墘新路(Victoria Street)已故江陳木裕老同學家族的三興公司。

可惜今天,百分之九十華商不能抵擋經濟的動蕩和變化,守不住市場。 前人入口印度類的商業活動,全被印度商攻佔了。



In Malaysia and Singapore during the 70, 1980s, every importer and exporter of products from India would definitely familiar with the merchant ship "CHIDAMBARAM"

The ocean-going vessel of 17,000 gross tons was carrying 700 passengers and a large amount of general cargo sailing to and from the port of Penang and Madras (renamed as Chennai in 1996) every month.

As long as one seen “CHIDAMBARAM berthed alongside Sweetenham Pier, one would have known that Indian cotton textiles and woolen fabrics, spice powder, potatoes, dates fruit and other cereals and coarse grains; particularly the fresh picked onion have arrived for the sale market.

Onion has a wide market. Besides consumed by Indian, it is also an essential seasoning in the kitchen of Chinese, Malaya and other races.

The India traders are known to dominate the market for the import and export business of onion in Penang. They are centrally located in the so-called Penang’s Little India around King Street, Queen Street, Church Street, Market Street and China Street. Chinese traders are the second larger importer of onion.

In the past, the ventilation system in the cargo compartment did not worked well and would cause the onion to decay easily and rapidly. As exporter in India cannot provide effective control and care to ship the onion, thus no insurance company were willing to hold cover for the shipment of onion.

If the purchase of the onion was dealt by commercial agent and when the shipment arrived in bad condition, the agent will not be responsible or liable for the decay of onion.  The importers had to bear for the entire loss by themselves.

Learned from our neighbor M/s Seng Hoe Guan, the importing and exporting business of fresh produce like onion was considered high risk and volatile. To a great extend, to make a profit or loss has been based on the condition of “CHIDAMBARAM.

There was an accident occurred while unloading of onion from the cargo compartment of “CHIDAMBARAM.

In spite of having rainfall, stevedores in India insist on loading package of onion into the cargo hold. During the 7-days sail to Penang from Madras, the damp condition in cargo compartment caused the entire onion went rotten and emitted toxic gases.

Before entering the cargo compartment, stevedores would usually put down a live chicken for exploration of toxic gas. Should it be still alive while pulling out, it was concluded that the air quality in the cargo hold was free of toxic gas and safe for work.

But due to negligence in the detection and prevention measure taken against toxic gas for that trip, several stevedores were poisoned to death while entering the cargo compartment. That was the breaking news of the past years.

In 1985, “CHIDAMBARAM caught fire during the voyage in Bay of Bengal and fire spread to passenger compartment. More than 40 passengers suffocated to death in the fire. The vessel was later sold for scrap.

On the absent of “CHIDAMBARAM, a serious shortage of daily products brought the market come to a standstill. Thus it could be seen that any marine logistic disruption might cause indirect impact to the general business activity

Among all Chinese importers of Indian onion, M/s Kim Guan Chng should be classed as the biggest player in the top rank. In her glorious period, there would be a lineup with a large fleet of heavy-duty trucked in front of the office at Beach Street and ware-house at Gombak. It is a pity to know that the company become insolvent and was later shutting down.

List of some popular Chinese importers and wholesaler of Indian onion are as follow:

Eng Guan Chan, See Hai Chan of Upper Beach Street, Lam Bee Company, Seng Hoe Guan, Seng Keat Lee, Thean Hong & Co., Chop Teik Hong, Geh Leong Hin Sdn Bhd of Middle Beach Street, Chop Kean Hin, Chin Teik Sheng Sdn Bhd, Swee Hin Chan at the end of Beach Street and Sam Hin Sdn Bhd, a family business of our deceased classmate, Kang Tan Bak Joo.

What a pity to say, 90% of the Chinese importers could not resist the tough and economic turbulence to hold the market. By now, the Indian importers and wholesalers not only lead the market, but control it as well.