00:01In the Chinese village of Shonshan, the ancient art of wood carving faces a crossroads.
00:07The lack of generational succession threatens to extinguish a millennial-old tradition.
00:13Let's see.
00:15Virutas de madera y aserrín llenan el aire en los...
00:18...shavings and sawdust fill the air in Chongqing's workshops.
00:21Here, the hands of master carvers transform cedar wood into pieces of great cultural value.
00:27For local residents, this craft is more than an art form, it is a livelihood and a community ritual with centuries of history.
00:37The artisan's mastery attracts photographers and tourists from around the world.
00:41They come to document the meticulous carving process that brings each piece to life, turning the village into a benchmark of living culture.
00:52But the boom in orders that boosted the craft at the end of the 20th century, now faces a challenge.
00:58Younger generations prefer more profitable and less demanding jobs, while the instability of the artisanal market threatens the continuity of this heritage.
01:0610 years ago, there used to be much more activity. Now, due to market oversaturation, most development has already been completed.
01:19All towns and municipalities have reached a point of saturation. It's like a stock market now. Nothing is renewed anymore, and nothing new is being built like before.
01:27The gradual aging of the artisanal guild threatens the permanent closure of workshops. Without young people willing to pick up the chisel, a fundamental artistic expression essential to Chongqing's cultural identity risks disappearing.
01:45The youngest are already in their 40s. When our generation retires, there will be no one left to carry on the tradition.
01:55The challenge for the community and the remaining master artisans is monumental. They need to balance tradition with the demands of the modern market, to ensure the sustainability of their craft and prevent the sound of carving from fading away forever.
02:13Thank you very much.
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