100-year-old family business – Yuan-guang ironsmiths

At the end of Shiding’s old street one will find the 100-year-old ‘Yuanguang ironmongers’, its century old forge still burning as fierce as ever, continuing to pass on this age-old traditional skill. Although Ye De-miao, this third generation craftsman, is already in his sixties, however he still insists on beating out sturdy and durable ironware just like his father and father’s father. Ye De-miao explained that machine made ironware is a world apart from hand cast ironware, as it simply cannot compete with customers’ specific requirements.  Hand cast ironware on the other hand, lends itself to fashioning unique one-off personalized implements. 

 
In the era of Japanese rule, Shiding developed its coalmining industry, resulting in a huge influx of people to the area. On the same rising tide as the burgeoning coal industry, demand for ironware similarly grew, and it was precisely at this time that Yuanguang ironmongers was established. Up to this very day, in addition to the usual everyday ironware utensils, a great many people drop in to see Ye De-miao hoping that he can forge out their often rather outlandish requirements including weaponry of various Chinese Gods and Qixing Swords fashioned from brass. The times have changed, and the youth of today are unwilling to pursue a trade that requires such a long period of apprenticeship and self-discipline. The depressing reality is that this traditional craft may be lost forever, and although Ye De-miao insists that he himself will work until he literally lacks the physical strength to strike the iron, the future of hand forged ironware is anything but optimistic.

100-year-old family business – Yuan-guang ironsmiths (by CJ brran)

URL: http://www.peopo.org/news/77847

(以下為中文對照)

百年傳承 遠光打鐵店 ( 人中 )

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在石碇老街的街尾，有一家百年打鐵店「遠光打鐵店」，至今已經營了三個世代仍爐火不滅，守護著先民傳承的技藝。 第三代接班人葉德茂，已經年過六十歲，還是堅持用手工打造一件件堅固耐用的鐵器。葉德茂說，機器打造出來的鐵器不比手工鑄造，機器無法為客人量身訂作需要 的鐵器，但手工打造可以。日治時代，石碇發展媒礦產業，大量人口流入，對於鐵器的需求也水漲船高，遠光打鐵店就是從這個時候開始營業。到現在，除了日常用 品之外，還有許多客人特地上門請葉德茂打造各式各樣特殊鐵器，麗如廟宇神像手中的兵器，或是加入黃銅的「七星劍」。時代轉變，年輕人不願意投入打鐵這樣需 要長時間磨練的行業，面臨後繼無人的窘境，葉德茂說要作到沒辦法動為止，「傳承」也是打鐵業面臨的艱鉅問題。

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