I'll be travelling to China in June. Changzhou (known for wooden combs), Suzhou (fans and silk weaving), Nanjing, Xi'an and Beijing.

Does anyone know of people to see, places to go, tools to look for, woods to get?

There are so many crafts to see.

The last time I was there I had some chops made in a small street shop while I was sitting on the family chamber pot.

It was a very hot August day so the visit was memorable. I would rather not be so haphazard in my travels this time.

Thanks to all.

David

May your journey be eventful and interesting! One of The Carving Path members is from China: Austin. Find his posts by looking through the members list, and send him an email. There may be one other, but I am not at home where my notes are, sorry. Otherwise, I do not have any knowledge or suggestions for you.

When are you leaving?

Janel

When are you leaving?

Janel
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We are leaving on Friday.

I knew my question was a long shot but if you don't ask you never know where people have been and what they know.

And while I am tallking at travel if you go to Chicago the Field museum has a relatively small number of netsuke. As I recall they are fairly intricate and somewhat delecate.

The Art Museum has a small collection of European tools from the 18th century. And they have a room devoted to detailed recreations of historic rooms in miniature. They even have a small exhibit of the tools and techniques used to make them.

If you are in Toledo, Ohio the art museum has an extensive collection of netsuke . They have (had) a book on their collection.

If you are in Salem, Massechusetts go to the Peabody museum. More netsuke and something of a timecapsule of when Salem was one of the major cities in the United States (early nineteenth century).

Anyone else find any treasures in your travels that you would like to share?

David

David,

I hope that you have a really interesting journey! Did you learn any more information about where you will be traveling? Are you traveling with a tour or on your own?

See you here when you return,

Janel

Greetings DCallaghan,

I'm a newbie here and you must have returned home eventually.
I live in Macau, which is another kind of China.

Anyway, here's a report on some of my travels in China in which I was able to use a digital camera.

Look forward to hear and see your pictures.
Best

I did make it back from China. Our trip was primarily to acquaint our adopted daughters with their hometowns. We spent most of our time in Jiansu province. I'm now going through a thousand pictures trying to decide which ones would interest the group. I didn't see much in the way of wood carving other than tourist trinkets in Beijing and he world's largest wood carving!

We were in Shanghai and Nanjing (gradens), Changzhou (wooden combs), Suzhou (gardens and silk), Wuxi (pottery and pearls), Xi'an (terra cotta warriors and jade carving) and Beijing (Great Wall (Mutianyu) and cloissone.)

Seventeen days of awe and marvels (at least to this farm boy). Many, many changes from our last visit.

I will try to sort out what will be interesting to some of you.

So long for now.

David