Li Liuhong - Representative Inheritor of Copper Wares-making Skill Project in Luoping County, Qujing

Li Liuhong is the provincial-level representative inheritor of copper-making craftsmanship in Fule Town (富乐镇), Luoping County (罗平县), Qujing City (曲靖市), Yunnan Province (云南省). His family tradition, known as “Li Family Copper Art” (李氏铜艺), has been passed down for seven generations. Building on his ancestral heritage, Li is renowned for his purely hand-forged techniques, secret welding methods, and innovative designs, earning him the title: “Guardian of Living Copper Heritage in Fule.”

Family Heritage and Craftsmanship

Li was born into a family of copper artisans. His ancestors were originally from Liushu Bay (柳树湾) in Nanjing (南京), and the family migrated to Fule Town (富乐镇) more than 180 years ago.

• Early Training: At just nine years old, he began learning from his father and mastered the core skill of forging copper entirely by hand without molds.

• Signature Welding Technique: His secret ancestral soldering method produces copper joints so strong that they cannot be broken even by hammering or bending—a hallmark of Li Family Copper Art.

• Meticulous Process: Li uses 28 types of hammers, shaping copper through repeated cycles of cold forging, heating, and quenching. Each piece can take more than a month to complete.

Innovation and Cultural Fusion

While grounded in tradition, Li has introduced bold innovations:

• Reviving Lost Techniques: He restored the long-lost skill of making the Li Family incense burner from a single copper plate.

• Expanding the Product Range: Beyond traditional cookware such as copper basins and hotpots, he now creates dragon-and-phoenix tea sets, wine vessels, gourd-shaped flasks, candlesticks, and vases. The gourd-shaped flask, for example, is designed to hold exactly one Chinese jin (≈500 g) of wine, while each cup holds precisely 50 g—combining utility with artistry.

• Blending Cultures: Li integrates elements from Hui (回族), Dongchuan (东川), and Huize (会泽) copper traditions. His decorative motifs range from dragons, phoenixes, and Maying flowers (马缨花) to Yi script (彝文) and Mi Yi Lu (咪依噜) painted reliefs—merging ethnic culture with modern aesthetics.

Cultural Promotion and Recognition

• Showcasing on Global Platforms: In 2019, his works were exhibited at the South & Southeast Asian Countries Commodity Fair, attracting international attention. His craftsmanship has been featured in CCTV’s Homeland program and Qujing TV’s Night Talks at the Source.

• Heritage and Honors: In 2009, Fule Copper Craftsmanship (富乐铜器制作技艺) was listed in Yunnan’s Intangible Cultural Heritage directory. Li has consistently been recognized as a qualified provincial inheritor. His works are collected by friends from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and even presented as cultural gifts to guests at home and abroad.

• Tourism Integration: Actively involved in the preservation and development of Fule Ancient Town (富乐古镇), Li promotes a “Heritage + Tourism” model that combines copper craftsmanship with cultural sightseeing.

Challenges and Exploration

Despite having trained more than 10 family successors from the 7th and 8th generations, Li still faces difficulties:

• Youth Attrition: Copper-making demands long hours of labor—often more than 10 hours a day—and years of training. Many young people lack the patience to continue.

• Digital Outreach: To engage the younger generation, he shares his process through short videos and sells products via e-commerce platforms.

• Policy Support: In 2023, he benefited from nearly ¥26,000 in tax relief, which he reinvested in equipment upgrades and apprentice training.

• Community Collaboration: Li works with local government projects, ensuring that Li Family Copper Art is integrated into Fule Ancient Town’s heritage planning. He is exploring a “Workshop + Learning Center” model for sustainable transmission.

Cultural Value and Contemporary Significance

For Li Liuhong, copperware is not just a household utensil but a living vessel of history and culture. His works embody metallurgical techniques, carving artistry, and ethnic aesthetics dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties in eastern Yunnan. Experts describe his pieces as “a living fossil for studying the history of copper craftsmanship in Yunnan.”

As Li himself says:

“Forging copper is not only a way to make a living. It is a mission to keep the wisdom of our ancestors alive in the present day.”

Balancing tradition and innovation, Li Liuhong continues to give warmth and vitality to intangible cultural heritage through his hands.