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Savoury crafts
This page, a rooster. Discipline does not suffocate Zhang Qinglong visible passion, without which nothing would be possible. Bon Wei is in Milan, Via Lodovico Castelvetro 16-18 (tel. +39.02.341308; www.bon-wei.it).
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it is the beginning of a journey that is not only culinary but also cultural. What appears to be just a decoration to the Western eye, even if performed to painstaking perfection, is in actual fact the expression of a civilization that, for thousands of years, has developed one of the most complex symbolic systems of humanity. Symbolism still plays a central role in daily life and in art; it has to be allusive and evoke images or analogies. The length of noodles, for example, is evocative of longevity, making it an inspired choice for a birthday menu. Similarly, fish swimming in pairs are a good omen for a happy marriage. This rule applies to the decoration of dishes too: every carved vegetable figure is a metaphor. Allegories that have survived unaltered for centuries, because China’s respect for tradition is a distinguishing feature of all its art, whose aim is not so much to innovate as to perpetuate traditions, and in which the virtuosity of
the artist always plays a primary role. Master decorators have always drawn their inspiration mainly from mythology and nature, which, for the Chinese, is permeated with sacredness, mystery and the fundamental meaning of life. The crane represents immortality, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of happiness and long life, the lotus of fertility, the peacock of nobility, and you could go on indefinitely. Sometimes, however, the decorations are there simply to remind the guest of what he is eating. Though symbolism is a fundamental and intrinsic element, in order to give the sculpture his own personal style an artist can draw on many subjects, according to his fancy, the occasion that is celebrated and also the season. It takes an immense creativity in order to keep renewing tradition: every day, Zhang Qinglong goes into the restaurant like a craftsman to his workshop and “fishes� in his imagination. Before our astonished eyes, in little over an hour Zhang Qinglong carves life into a peacock and a magnificent bird in the act of alighting on a trunk, both sculpted from a pumpkin using only a small sharp knife and a few simple tools. He carves with his eyes fixed on his work, the lines on his face are calm and focused, his nimble hands move quickly, his routine is carefully organised: there is no place for error in his constant search for perfection. But discipline does not suffocate his visible passion, without which nothing would be possible. The artist with the heart of a craftsman cherishes the creature that he brings to life with all the care it takes. The same care that is fundamental at Bon Wei, where the guests are served according to a solemn and ancient custom, in which the decoration of the dishes enhances one of the most famous cuisines in the world.
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