Duan Dekun -  Inheritor of Stone-carving Skill in Jianchuan County, Dali

Mr. Duan Dekun – Provincial Representative Inheritor of Jianchuan Bai Stone Carving

Mr. Duan Dekun (段德坤), born in 1966 in Meiyuan Village, Jinhua Town (now part of Jianyang Town), Jianchuan County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, is a provincial-level representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage. Devoting his entire life to the art of stone carving, he has revitalized the ancient craft of Jianchuan Bai stone carving, combining outstanding skill with grand-scale creations and a generous spirit of teaching.

? Key Information at a Glance

? Artistic Features and Achievements

Rooted in a Stone-Carving Family
Hailing from Meiyuan Village, widely known as the “Hometown of Stone Carving,” Mr. Duan is the ninth generation of a family of artisans. His crowning achievement is the monumental Thousand-Lion Mountain Project (千狮山工程) at Manxianlin in Jianchuan.

Thousand-Lion Mountain Project
Between 1998 and 2004, he led a team of over 100 stone carvers to sculpt more than 3,000 stone lions, each showcasing unique expressions and styles that span Chinese art traditions from the Wei and Jin dynasties to the Ming and Qing periods. The highlight is the colossal “Lion King”, which he supervised: standing 25 meters high, 18 meters long, and 12 meters wide, it is the world’s largest stone lion sculpture and has been recognized by the Great World Guinness Records.

Exquisite Technique

• Known for lifelike forms and bold, clear lines, his works are imbued with artistic vitality.

• Remarkably, he can carve directly on raw stone without sketches, relying solely on his mental design.

• He innovatively combines clay modeling with stone carving, enhancing both precision and efficiency.

? Transmission and Industrial Development

Teaching the Next Generation
Mr. Duan has trained more than 100 apprentices, many of whom have become independent artisans in their own right. He also participates in government-led training programs, traveling to rural communities to pass on his skills, helping villagers gain employment and lift their families out of poverty.

Industrial Transformation
Recognizing the need for adaptation, he guided Meiyuan Village’s stone-carving industry through a transformation. Moving beyond traditional tombstone production, the craft now thrives in architectural decoration, tourism landscapes, and cultural creative products. These works are sold in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai and even exported abroad, making stone carving a driving force for rural revitalization in Jianchuan.

? Conclusion

From the time he first held a chisel at age 16 to more than four decades later, Duan Dekun has forged his path from apprentice to “Lion King” and provincial-level inheritor of intangible cultural heritage. Through awe-inspiring masterpieces, dedicated teaching, and industrial leadership, he has ensured that Jianchuan stone carving not only survives but flourishes in modern times.

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