This is the most famous old commercial street in Beijing.
All kinds of people flow, some are happy, some are leisurely, some are impatient, some are sad, all kinds of life styles are clearly revealed in the passing crowd.
In Beijing in the 1980s, the sky was blue, the streets were very clean, and various slogans were written on the walls.
Unite closely around the Party Central Committee and work hard to realize the four modernizations.
Cross the river by feeling for the stones.
Try resolutely and venture boldly.
Fight a bloody path.
A red heart and two hands ready.
Various slogans show the characteristics of this era.
Zhang Junping was sitting on the roadside, with many shell guns, May 4th pistols, and semi-automatic rifles in front of him.
Of course, these are wooden simulated toy guns.
In addition to these wooden toy guns that are popular with children, there are also many ornaments, including lifelike puppies, naive kittens, vivid little rabbits, handsome eagles spreading their wings, and colorful tigers full of kingly spirit.
There are many things. The toy gun carved by Zhang Junping, if painted with black paint, would be almost exactly the same as the real thing.
The wood carvings, whether they are puppies, rabbits, or tigers, are all vivid and full of spirit and form. Even people who don’t know how to do it will say that the carvings are really good.
Those who know the art will definitely say that it is a masterpiece by a famous artist and a favorite among collectors.
However, Zhang Junping’s business is not doing well!
No, it’s not bad, it’s just no business at all!
It attracted a lot of children all morning, and some parents asked about the price, but when I heard, a wooden gun actually cost one yuan.
The response is basically to just pull the child and leave.
Of course, there are also different parents who will first say, "One dollar? Robbery?" and then pull their children away.
No matter how much the child cries, he refuses to spend money to buy the child a wooden toy gun.
One dollar, in Zhang Junping's opinion, is not high at all. In later generations, he would not even be able to buy a bottle of water.
You know, in later generations, he was a provincial master of arts and crafts and a provincial inheritor of intangible cultural heritage. His works all started with a five-digit figure.
It is highly sought after by wood art enthusiasts and collectors.
only!
Here, one cent can buy a large bowl of hot pot noodles, one yuan can buy more than ten kilograms of grain, two kilograms of eggs, and one kilogram of pork, the kind of pork belly that is three fingers thick.
In this era when the average salary is less than fifty yuan, few parents are willing to spend one yuan to buy a toy gun for their children.
Even though, his wooden toy gun is very realistic.
Even his wood carvings are works by famous artists.
However, in the eyes of people of this era, a dollar for a toy that is not meant for eating or drinking is really ridiculously expensive!
Zhang Junping sat quietly on the curb, holding a piece of wood and a carving knife in his hand, cutting bit by bit.
Zhang Junping's expression was focused, and the carving knife was sometimes brisk and sometimes powerful. The wood chips were flying, and the palm-sized wood was changing shapes in Zhang Junping's hands.
Only wood can make him temporarily forget the troubles of life.
Not long after, a big dog with both appearance and appearance, lazily sleeping on the ground, appeared in Zhang Junping's hand.
"Brother, are you making rhubarb?"
Zhang Junping raised his head and saw that the person speaking was a little boy who had been squatting beside his stall all morning.
"rhubarb?"
"Big yellow is that dog!" the little boy said, pointing to the big yellow dog lying lazily on the ground on the other side of the road.
"Yes!" Zhang Junping nodded.
The little boy squatted beside his stall and stared at the wooden toy gun on the stall all morning.
Zhang Junping had no business. Although the little boy kept staring, he didn't do anything, so he ignored him.
"Little comrade, can you repair furniture?" At this time, another aunt in her fifties stopped and asked after seeing the wood carvings Zhang Junping was playing with.
"Mom, I'm a carpenter! If you want to repair furniture, you should go to a carpenter!" Zhang Junping explained with a wry smile.
"Oh! Comrade, you are all working with wood anyway. I think your wooden gun looks pretty good. You should also be able to repair furniture, right?" the aunt said persistently.
"I am good at repairing, but I am..." Zhang Junping smiled bitterly in his heart. He really wanted to ask his aunt, if the lifelike wooden gun is made, what is the connection between it and the repairing furniture?
"As long as you know how to repair it! I knew you were all playing with wood, so you must be able to repair furniture!"
Don’t worry, I’ll give you the money for how much it costs!” Upon hearing that Zhang Junping knew how to repair furniture, the aunt immediately grinned happily.
Come on! I set up a stall all morning and didn’t sell a single item. Instead, I took on a furniture repair job!
Forget it! Repair furniture, just repair furniture!
As for what an artist is, let’s leave it at that!
Artists also need to eat and live!
Without money, artists will starve to death!
He didn't want to starve to death on the streets like his unlucky predecessor.
Don’t talk anymore. If you talk too much, you’ll be in tears!
Still, let’s live first!
Anyway, if anyone tells him now that an artist won't give up for five buckets of rice, he will definitely slap him in the face.
"Okay! I'll fix it for you!"
"How much does it cost to repair furniture?" The aunt asked happily when she saw that Zhang Junping agreed to repair her furniture.
“It depends on what kind of furniture you are repairing and the degree of damage to the furniture!
If it's as simple as changing the legs of the chair or table, you can give me 30 cents or 20 cents!
Looking back, the work I did was pretty good, I just need you to introduce me to some more jobs!" Zhang Junping got into the mood quickly and already regarded himself as a carpenter taking jobs.
"Okay! Seeing that your little comrade is quite practical, then come with me!"
When she heard that it only cost 30 cents or 20 cents, the aunt showed a bright smile on her face. She was right as she thought. It would be cheap to hire a young master to repair furniture.
Zhang Junping put the things on the stall into the tool box.
Then he handed the wooden dog he had just carved to the little boy and said, "Kid, thank you for staying with me all morning!
Big brother, can you give this big yellow dog to you?"
"Thank you, big brother!" The little boy looked at the wooden gun that Zhang Junping put into the box with joy and a little bit of disappointment. "Tomorrow, I will come to sell things with my big brother!"
The little boy naively thought that this was his reward for spending the whole morning with his big brother.
"Okay! I'll give you a little rabbit tomorrow!" Zhang Junping winked at the little boy and said with a bad smile.
The little boy held "Big Yellow" in his arms. Although he was a little disappointed that it was not the big gun he wanted, he was still very happy.
She also fantasizes that if she continues to set up a stall with her elder brother tomorrow, he will give her a big gun.
Then when I heard Zhang Junping said that he would give him a bunny tomorrow, I suddenly felt bad.
He curled his lips and almost cried.
………
I followed my aunt with my toolbox on my back, walking through alleys, crossing alleys, twisting and turning, and came to a large courtyard.
When it comes to large courtyards, many people confuse large courtyards with courtyards.
I think a large courtyard is where many people live in a courtyard.
In fact, this understanding is wrong.
Large courtyards and courtyards are two completely different concepts.
In terms of house structure, the building structure of the courtyard is simple, which can even be described as crude.
As for the courtyard, the structural layout is very particular, like a corridor in the front and a building in the back.
In addition, the courtyard door of the courtyard must be opened in the southeast corner, and the toilet must be in the southwest corner.
This is not necessarily true for large courtyards.
In the past, large courtyards were equivalent to our current low-rent housing.
The structure is relatively simple and the people living there are poor families.
certainly.
There is also a kind of courtyard, just like the one in front of Zhang Junping, which was renovated from a traditional courtyard house.
After liberation, in order to solve the housing difficulties of citizens, the state transformed some courtyards into large courtyards.
Beijingers who can live in such large courtyard houses converted from courtyard houses are basically the working class.
"Aunt Wang is back from shopping for groceries?"
"Aunt Wang, what dishes are there today?"
As soon as Aunt Wang entered the door, someone greeted her.
Aunt Wang responded while leading Zhang Junping to the backyard.
Only then did Zhang Junping discover that this was a large courtyard renovated from a large courtyard with three entrances.
The yard is very big, and you can carry your things across the yard.
"Aunt Wang, are you visiting relatives?" Someone saw Zhang Junping and asked curiously.
"Isn't my table Lao Huang? I asked a master to repair it!"
"That's a good relationship. The bed at my house is also old and shabby. Let me fix it too!" The man said with a smile.
Zhang Junping smiled bitterly in his heart, he wanted to carry out his furniture repair business to the end!
Forget it, just one sheep is being driven, and a group of sheep is being herded, so just practice it!
It’s better than going hungry!
"Little comrade, look at my table. It keeps shaking. I have repaired it several times, but it has not been repaired!" The aunt said to Zhang Junping as she opened the door and entered the room.
Entering the main room, Zhang Junping looked around casually.
There is an Eight Immortals table placed against the wall at the front door.
There are teacups, teapots and other things on the Eight Immortals table.
There is a portrait of the chairman on the wall.
On both sides of the Eight Immortals table are two four-headed official hat chairs.
When Zhang Junping saw the four-headed official hat chairs on both sides of the Eight Immortals table, his eyes flashed.
Although he didn't look carefully, based on his experience as a top wood artist, these two four-year-old official hat chairs are objects with wide doors.
Judging from the shape, it can be dated to the Ming Dynasty.
Judging from the texture and color of the wood, we can conclude that this is a pair of Ming Dynasty small-leaf rosewood four-year-old official hat chairs.
"Aunt, is this the table?" Zhang Junping asked, pointing to the Eight Immortals table tied with wire. "Yes, that's it! It keeps shaking, and it won't work even if it's tied with wire!" "Aunt, please take away the things on it first.
, let me check what the problem is!"
Zhang Junping helped put aside the teapot, tea bowl and other things.
He stretched out his hand and shook the Eight Immortals table to feel it, then lowered his head and got under the table to take a look.
"Auntie, your Eight Immortals Table has been around for a long time!
Judging from the workmanship, this is furniture from before liberation!”
"You are absolutely right, little comrade. Let me tell you, this table was made by someone when I got married!
It’s been more than thirty years now!” When the aunt heard this, she clapped her hands and laughed.
After Zhang Junping finished the inspection, he raised his head and said to the aunt: "You have an old craftsmanship and a mortise and tenon structure. It's just that after using it for a long time, the gaps between the mortise and tenon have become larger. I'll just add a plug for you!"
Guarantee you to use it for another thirty years!"
"Thirty more years? Then it won't be an antique anymore?"
The kids at home said they should get new ones, but I just couldn’t bear to part with them!
This table was made of good materials at that time!" The aunt touched the table and said with a nostalgic smile.
"Indeed, you made it out of old elm wood!
This kind of material will not break even if it is used for a hundred years!" Zhang Junping nodded and agreed.
"Auntie, is it okay if I move the Eight Immortals table to the yard to repair it?" Zhang Junping glanced at the narrow room.
It is said to be the main room, but in this main room, in addition to the Eight Immortals table and the official hat chair, there are also two beds and a wardrobe.
The originally small room was packed to the brim.
There's definitely no way to fix it inside the house.