World-Class Carpentry Craftsmanship: Lin Tien Coopery

Wooden buckets of various sizes were an essential item to every Taiwanese household in the past, since they were used by the family for bathing, washing clothes, cooking rice and other house chores. Nevertheless, after the plastic utensils were introduced to Taiwan in the early 1960s, they brought with them the inevitable demise of this traditional craft, forcing quite a few wooden bucket shops to close their doors one after another. Fortunately, Lin Tien Coopery, located on Zhongshan North Road (中山北路), still stands at its original location and continues to be recognized for its skillfully made barrels and buckets.

Established in 1928, Lin Tien Coopery has a history of 84 years in Taiwan. The founder, Lin Xinju (林新居), had worked as an apprentice and learned the art of coopery from his Japanese master before returning home to start his own business and subsequently passed down the craft to his son, Lin Xianglin (林相林). On Zhongshan North Road, which is lined with fashionable stores and expensive boutiques, a simple shop (very different from all those stores) called Lin Tien Coopery appears to be quite a contrast. The store is full of sturdy and beautiful wooden buckets in assorted sizes and shapes. Carefully crafted by hand from red cypress, the buckets give off a pleasant scent upon contact with hot water and can be used for bathtubs or water containers. This type of wood secretes an oily substance which prevents mold from growing. On the other hand, it’s better to use the odorless Chinese fir to make rice-cooking buckets. The authentic light aroma from the Chinese fir is an ideal choice for a rice cooker.

Insisting on making every piece by hand, one at a time, Lin selects the wood, cuts it into wooden strips, and planes it smooth by himself. The edges of each wooden strip must be planed to a precise angle so that the staves will fit tightly together and curve around into a circle. Then he bores holes into the edges of each stave and inserts bamboo pegs into the holes on one side. The staves are then fitted together and secured with iron strips. Each process takes precise craftsmanship, which has contributed to Lin’s buckets being called a “National Treasure of Taiwan” by the Japanese press. Lin himself has earned the reputation of being a “Master Craftsman” as well as “Taiwan’s Cooper Laureate.”

A Stalwart Advocate of Typography: Ri Xing Type Foundry

Since computer printing became the preferred publishing method, movable type has almost become obsolete. Nevertheless, the last existing collection of the traditional Chinese character matrix in Taiwan survives in Taipei, on Taiyuan Road (太原路). Chang Chiehkuan (張介冠) has run Ri Xing Type Foundry for the past 44 years, and has devoted his life to forging lead types, melting the metal at a temperature of up to 300 degrees Celsius, and thus preventing this special tradition from vanishing.

Chang’s father established Ri Xing Type Foundry when he was a junior high school student, and he later took over the business. Chang says that typography was invented during the Song Dynasty by Bi Sheng (畢昇; ca. 990-1051), giving it a history of nearly a thousand years. Even though traditional typesetting is a declining industry, the company makes a big effort to maintain the tradition. Ri Xing Type Foundry takes advantage of the current trend for retro fashion and showcases movable types on shelves as gifts. Some clients even purchase the type to apply to their own leather embossing or pottery creations.

Chang hopes that through Ri Xing Type Foundry the technique and know-how of traditional Chinese character typesetting in Taiwan will be preserved. From numerous antique Chinese character matrix molds in the store, visitors can easily find movable types that look far more elegant and appealing than computer fonts. Chang’s biggest wish is to donate the shop to the government and let it be run as a museum dedicated to the art of traditional typography, ensuring that the craftsmanship and culture of typography will be preserved and passed down to the next generation.

Wearing Beauty on Your Feet: Little Garden Embroidered Shoes

Embroidered shoes are a unique craft integrating two aspects of Chinese culture: shoes and embroidery techniques. Traditionally the embroidery is the essence of the shoes, and great attention must be paid to making sure the pattern is symmetrical on both sides. Nowadays it is hard to find traditionally handmade cloth shoes, but thanks to the persistence of an old store called Little Garden Embroidered Shoes, this traditional technique survives into the present day.

Little Garden is the first embroidered footwear shop in Taipei and is currently managed by third generation owner Chen Hungyi (陳弘宜). Due to the decline of the industry, skilled shoemakers are very difficult to find. Presently, most of the embroidery on the shoes is completed by a computer-controlled machine, but a selection of premium shoes are still handmade. The patterns feature auspicious peonies, mandarin ducks, dragons and phoenixes, attracting many brides-to-be to pay a special visit and place an order.

Even though the shop does not have a noticeable signboard, Little Garden appeals to many Japanese tourists who fancy retro-Chinese fashion. There are a wide variety of designed shoes to choose from, including tiny tiger shoes that children would once have worn to draw lots on their first birthday celebration. These embroidered tiger shoes are popular with parents who use them as decorations for their house. At the end of last year, the shop paired up with Traditional Art Shop (藝間店) in Taipei Songshan Airport so that travelers can conveniently buy handmade brocade indoor slippers and slippers with beads while in transit.

Creating novelty from antiques: Lam Sam Yick Co., Ltd.

Sam Yick Brush Pens was founded in Fuzhou, Fujian Province (福建福州) in 1917, specializing in making all sorts of writing brushes for calligraphy. In 1946 the company relocated to Taipei and was renamed Lam Sam Yick. Since then, the company has been dedicated to the study of brush hair and imported raw materials from overseas, making it a renowned brand in the market with a history that spans four generations.

Lam Sam Yick insists on making its brushes by hand, a complex procedure. For instance, calligraphers demand high standard brushes, with good ink absorption quality and made of resilient animal hair, which needs to be mixed in a precise but complicated ratio. Meeting these requirements is the experienced veteran master, who has perfected his skill over decades, and is familiar with the 48 steps needed to turn hair into a writing brush.

Lam Sam Yick’s fourth-generation owner, Lin Changlong (林昌隆), took over the family business when the brush-making industry was gradually dwindling. Based on his rich experience accumulated over the years, Lin applies his techniques to developing new lines such as cosmetic brush sets, successfully crossing over to another field of trade: the beauty industry. Lin indicated that the process of making makeup brushes by hand is similar to that of a Chinese calligraphy brush. Nevertheless, cosmetic brushes, which are in direct contact with the skin, must feel smooth and comfortable. Each brush is crafted meticulously, starting by selecting the bristles, which are composed of quality hairs of equal length, which are then tied into a bundle after repeatedly sorting and trimming. During the process no scissor is used to ensure the smoothness of the brush.

In a modern city like Taipei, the graceful upright profiles of craftsmen working attentively in these old stores are in stark contrast to life elsewhere in this dynamic metropolis, yet provide a welcome link back to a Taipei of old.