Peng Shanyao: inheritor of the Construction Technique of Tujia Stilted Buildings

Peng Shanyao, inheritor of the Construction Technique of Tujia Stilted Buildings (file photo)

 

我叫彭善尧，土家族

My name is Peng Shanyao. I’m a member of the Tujia ethnic group.

我是国家级土家族吊脚楼营造技艺项目代表性传承人。

I’m the inheritor of the Construction Technique of Tujia Stilted Buildings, a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

我十几岁学艺，20岁独自掌墨

I learnt the skill as a teenager and finished my apprenticeship when I was 20 years old.

一直到现在，已经有五十多岁的艺龄了

Till now, I have been doing it for over fifty years.

我到现在一直都没有放弃

I have never given up.

我心想在我有生之年

In the rest of my life, I want to

用最好的理想的思想给徒弟传承下去

pass the best thought (of the Construction Technique) down to my disciples.

彭善尧老师是我们土家族

Master Peng Shanyao is the inheritor of

吊脚楼营造技艺国家级传承人

The Construction Technique of Tujia Stilted Buildings, a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

他建造了很多经典的吊脚楼

He has built many classic stilted buildings

像芙蓉镇吊脚楼群

Like the stilted buildings cluster in Furong Town.

很多游客到了那里以后

Many tourists who visited there

说这个就是挂在瀑布上的古镇

Said that it was an ancient town hung on a waterfall

挂在悬崖上的吊脚楼。

With stilted buildings hung on the cliff.

土家族吊脚楼被考古家称为“吼嘎”

The Tujia Stilted building is called “Hou Ga” by archaeologists.

木质结构，干栏式建筑

It’s a kind of pile dwelling building with a wooden structure

是土家族人民最喜欢居住的一种独特的建筑模式

As well as Tujia people's favorite, unique architectural model.

吊脚楼成为土家族的民族符号

Stilted building has become a symbol of Tujia people.

大概是2011年吊脚楼列入国家级非遗名录

It was inscribed on the list of national-level intangible cultural heritages around 2011.

变成土家族一颗璀璨的明珠

It is a brilliant pearl of Tujia people.

吊脚楼形式多种多样

Stilted buildings take various forms

一般我修的都在旅游区

Those I've built are mostly in tourist areas

从八几年修起，最低有上百栋千栋 Since the 1980s,

I have built at least hundreds of stilted buildings

我已经修炼那么多吊脚楼了

I have built so many that

基本上没休息，年年修，年年修。

I seldom had time to rest over the past years

双凤摆手堂就是我修的

It was me who built the Shuangfeng Hand-waving (Baishou) Dance Hall

摆手堂是土家族跳舞的地方

It’s a place where Tujia people dance

是土家族议事的地方

And discuss community affairs

我们都一般是建在青山绿水之间

Stilted buildings are generally built beside green mountains and clear rivers

与自然和谐， 而且非常的美观大方

In perfect harmony with natural surroundings and look elegant

这里面有很多丰富的我们土家族文化

They are rich in Tujia cultural elements

我希望游客把我们吊脚楼的美带走之外

I hope that tourists leave impressed with the beauty of the stilted buildings

我还希望把我们土家文化的美带走

As well as the culture of us Tujia people.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]