Wan Guanghong - Representative Inheritor of Black Copper Silver-decorating Skill Project in Longyang District, Baoshan

Wan Guanghong (万光红), born in 1962 in Banqiao Town (板桥镇), Longyang District (隆阳区), Baoshan City (保山市), Yunnan Province (云南省), is a provincial-level representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage for the Wutong Silver Inlay technique (乌铜走银制作技艺). He has not only preserved this rare and unique craft but also innovated and opened new paths for its development.

? Family Heritage and Apprenticeship

Wan Guanghong is the fourth-generation successor of the “Sibaozhai” Silver Workshop (四宝斋) in Banqiao. The story of how Wutong Silver Inlay came into his family is legendary: around 1868 (Tongzhi period, Qing Dynasty), a wandering craftsman surnamed Wang, to repay the family for saving his life, taught the Wutong Silver Inlay technique to the workshop owner.

Starting at age 13, Wan Guanghong learned gold and silver jewelry processing. In 2006, following the illness of his mother Jin Laowu (金老伍, third-generation inheritor), he officially inherited the full Wutong Silver Inlay technique, embarking on over forty years of dedicated study and creation.

✨ Craftsmanship and Achievements

Technique

Wutong Silver Inlay is an extremely complex metalworking craft. It requires blending gold, silver, purple copper, and four other metals in precise proportions to form a Wutong base. The artist then engraves intricate patterns and fills them with molten silver, followed by repeated polishing. Wan Guanghong uses over 120 different chisels, demonstrating exceptional precision and skill.

Creative Works and Recognition

• Wan Guanghong has created scholarly stationery, wine sets, incense burners, and other works that are both elegant and practical.

• Representative works:

  • “Ink Box for the Returning Night Traveler” (夜晚归人墨盒) – collected by Yunnan Provincial Museum (云南省博物馆)

  • “Ruyi Wine Pot” (如意酒壶) – collected by Honghe Prefecture Museum (红河州博物馆)

• Recognitions:

  • 2008: Named provincial-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor.

  • 2020: Awarded the first “Baoshan Artisan (保山工匠)” title.

? Open Transmission and Mentorship

• Broke traditional family rules of secrecy and gender restriction (“passed only within the family, and only to males”).

• Trained daughters Wan Guili (万桂丽) and Wan Shuangli (万双丽) and six external apprentices.

• Taught courses at Baoshan University (保山学院), introducing younger generations to the craft.

? Lifelong Goals

Even while battling uremia, Wan Guanghong remains committed to the craft, with four key goals:

1. Open mentorship beyond family (already achieved).

2. Teaching in schools (achieved).

3. Publish a comprehensive craft book summarizing ten metalworking techniques and 56 core formulas.

4. Create a masterpiece integrating all ten techniques, representing the pinnacle of his artistic career.

? Conclusion

Wan Guanghong has rejuvenated the ancient Wutong Silver Inlay technique (乌铜走银) through dedication and innovation. He is not only a highly skilled artisan but also a visionary cultural transmitter, transforming a once-secret family craft into a shared cultural treasure cherished by society.