New Exploration Of The Leather Industry In Shuhe, Lijiang

In fact, back to the history of leather making in Shuhe, it has China's best cobbler craft. During the Ming Dynasty, during the Zhu Yuanzhang period, a group of imperial cobblers were exiled to Yunnan because of the "boots lantern incident". They were rehoused in Shuhe by Mu Si Tusi, and they began to thrive in the border areas and founded leather industry.

"Wherever there are crows flying, there are people from Shuhe". "Shuhe people" and "hungry and smelly cobbler" are on the road to Yunnan Province. Up to now, there are also cobbler villages and cobbler streets in Shangri-La, Yanjing, Lhasa and India Calcutta. The pride of the Shuhe cobbler is the reputation of "a cone running the world".

In the Museum of tea horse ancient road in Shuhe, there is a yellowed old photo in the History Museum of Shuhe cobbler, which can bring people's thoughts to a foreign country. In Calcutta, India, 100 years ago, a Ma Ma Guo named Wang Zhidian, who was named Shuhe, led his caravans to carry goods from China's leather products, tea, salt and other commodities. He walked there step by step and left this precious old photo in the photo studio of India Calcutta.

The leather products of Shuhe's cobbler village are closely related to the ancient tea and horse road. The Shuhe cobbler tied up the words "Shuhe cobbler" with the tea horse road by virtue of a skill and "ambition of a cone running the world". Along the tea horse road, traces of the old cobbler in Shuhe can be found. Tea is transported to the Tibetan area and brought back from the Tibetan area. The craftsmen are processed and made to export the leather products along the tea horse road. "At that time, many leather products were exported to Tibet along with the ancient tea horse road. India Nepal and other places have left many stories along the way. To describe the production and life of Shuhe's cobbler with a cone is nothing. Bai Zhiyuan, curator of Shuhe Tea Horse Road Museum, said.

Nowadays, there are not many local artisans in Shuhe, and the 74 year old Li Jinfeng is one of them.

A pair of half tube leather boots and a black leather coat, the impression that the old cobbler likes to wear a sheep's leather and a felt hat is instantly disintegrated. Li Jinfeng, the cobbler of Shuhe, who can not see that he is 74 years old, can only see the mark of the years in the handicraft.

As long as Li Jinfeng talked about making leather, he came to the spirit. "From making leather to sewing is done by hand. After wearing it for more than 20 years, it is not bad at all." He was wearing a 20 year old leather jacket with a bright skin, and the "China" in the hall. Leather goods The trophy in the era of fashion show is his pride.

Li Jinfeng's ancestor came from Nanjing. He was originally a cobbler artisan. When he was 13 years old, Li Jinfeng went to Ju Dian and his two grandfather to learn crafts. The name "Jinfeng" is quite feminine. It is also because he works well and earnest when he makes all kinds of leather goods. At least 10 generations of cobbler craftsmen Li's feelings about leather and his hope for future generations are embodied in the name "Jinfeng".

Li Jinfeng has always been confident in his craft of making leather. "From Skin selection The process of making leather products is very durable, but the cost is also very high, "he said." every process is made by drying the skin to the finished product. "The handicraft making procedure made the leather made in Shuhe very durable. Li Jinfeng said.

Zhang Shaoli is another old cobbler in Shuhe. Zhang Shaoli, who was born in 1925, went through a painful childhood. He grew up learning the crafts of the cobbler and transporting tea with the caravans. After the reform and opening up, we picked up the awl again. "Now that I am old, my eyes are not good."