Li Shuming  - Representative Inheritor of Yueqin-making Craft Project in Nanhua County, Chuxiong 

Li Shuming, born in 1963, is a Yi ethnic craftsman from Chahe Village (岔河村), Longchuan Town (龙川镇), Nanhua County (南华县), Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture (楚雄彝族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省). He is the provincial-level representative inheritor of Zhen’nan Yueqin-making craftsmanship (镇南月琴制作技艺). Influenced by his family’s woodworking skills from childhood, Li has been devoted to making Yueqin since 1997—perfecting his art for over 28 years.

Craftsmanship: Tradition Meets Innovation

Li’s Yueqin (a traditional Chinese moon lute) combines Yi ethnic heritage with modern aesthetics.

• Materials & Techniques: He selects premium hardwoods such as Catalpa and Winter Melon wood, using mortise-and-tenon joints alongside gluing techniques. Each Yueqin undergoes more than ten meticulous steps—wood selection, carving, assembling, and lacquering—taking over a month to complete.

• Shapes & Designs: His works range from octagonal, round, and ruyi-shaped designs to innovative gourd-shaped models.

• Decorative Motifs: From dragons and phoenixes to torch patterns, Yi scripts, and even 3D portraits of Mi Yi Lu (咪依噜), his Yueqin serve as both musical instruments and art pieces.

✨ A highlight: For the Shanghai World Expo (上海世博会), Li crafted a Yueqin with intricate carvings and Yi motifs. The piece was praised as a “masterpiece of ethnic cultural craftsmanship” by a professor from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and later recommended to the University of Edinburgh’s School of Art and Design for collection.

Cultural Promotion & Recognition

Over the years, Li has brought Yi cultural heritage beyond the mountains:

• 2006 – Represented Yunnan in the Exhibition of Intangible Cultural Heritage Achievements.

• 2010 – Showcased Yueqin works at the Shanghai World Expo (上海世博会).

• 2011 – Founded the Zhen’nan Yueqin Workshop (镇南月琴工作坊).

• 2021 – Named a “Yi Village Master Craftsman” (彝乡名匠) in Chuxiong and established his own studio.

His Yueqin have won 28 awards, including the Gold Prize at the Kunming Old Street Temple Fair (昆明老街庙会) and the Excellent Works Award at the Chinese Farmers’ Art Festival. Prices for his instruments have risen from just ¥100–200 in the early days to tens of thousands of yuan today.

Li’s craft has been recorded in the Annals of Zhen’nan Prefecture (镇南州志) and incorporated into local tourism, helping Chahe Village (岔河村) develop a “Brand + Craftsman + Tourism” model.

Passing on the Craft: Opportunities and Challenges

So far, Li has trained more than 10 apprentices, including Tang Bao (唐宝) and Qi Tianxiang (杞天祥), through his “Learning Center + Workshop” model.

Yet, challenges remain:

• Aging & Youth Loss: Yueqin-making requires immense patience—often sitting for 10 hours a day—which deters many young learners.

• Exploring New Paths: To address this, Li is experimenting with digital teaching and cultural tourism. By sharing his process on short-video platforms, he hopes to inspire more young people to appreciate and inherit this ancient craft.

A Living Symbol of Yi Culture

From an ordinary farmer to a master craftsman, Li Shuming has carved Yi culture into every Yueqin he makes. To him, the Yueqin is not only a musical instrument, but also a living cultural symbol of heritage and identity.

As Li himself says:

“Ethnic culture is our root. I dare not forget it, and I cannot forget it.”