A century of tin engraving: Carving memories of an era

In the alleys of Taipei's Dadaocheng, the traditional craft of tin engraving still exists, echoing the sound of master Lin Bo-zhan's hammer as it leaves its mark on the passage of time.

During Dadaocheng's early days of flourishing tea exports, the need for exporters' trademarks led to the rise of tin engraving. By measuring dimensions, drawing guidelines, and using different chisels, craftsmen meticulously chisel out hollowed letters one by one. However, the advent of computerized engraving has nearly wiped out this art form.

Master Lin Bo-zhan has devoted much of his life to tin engraving, bearing witness not only to Dadaocheng's history but also leaving a lasting memory of his life. With his skillful hands, Lin Bo-zhan has carved out signboards throughout Taiwan’s colorful history, leaving a lasting mark on its landscape.

以下為中文對照

百年鐵皮刻字 鏤刻時代記憶

在台北市大稻埕的巷弄內，還存在著鐵皮刻字的傳統工藝，在老師傅林柏占的鐵鎚敲擊聲中，刻印著歲月的痕跡。 

大稻埕早期茶葉外銷興盛，需要貨物的出口商標，因此鐵皮刻字隨之興起，透過丈量長寬，畫出基準線，並使用鐵鎚擊打不同鑿子，將鏤空的字一點一滴鑿出來，過程絲毫不馬虎 。不過現代電腦刻字的出現，使得鐵皮刻字幾乎消失。老師傅林柏占大半輩子獻給鐵皮刻字，不只見證大稻埕的歷史，更是他的生命記憶，巧手刻出屬於台灣的歷史招牌。