Brief Introduction: Ge Zhaolong is a student majored in the junior-college programme of Construction-project Management at Ninghai Radio and TV University (RTVU) starting from fall term 2020. He is a member of Ningbo City Folk Literature and Art Association, and practices Ninghai traditional stage construction (a Ningbo “intangible cultural heritage”).

He has been working on the restoration, protection and construction of ancient stages and buildings for more than 20 years, leading the renovation of over 160 of them in Ningbo. His work "Life·Stage" came first in the 6th Azalea Award of Zhejiang Provincial Folk Literature and Art, and won the 15th Mountain Flower Award of Chinese Folk Literature and Art for an excellent work of folk art or crafts. He has also received media coverage at all levels over 30 times.

The Mountain Flower Award of Chinese Folk Literature and Art is a national award co-sponsored by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, with the approval of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

"Life·Stage" is a half-sized copy of an ancient traditional stage from Ninghai, and took five years to complete. From 25 December 2021 until 17 January 2022, it was taken to Xuzhou and Hangzhou to be evaluated for the award. It stood out from the 80 other pieces of folk art or crafts selected from all over the country, and ended up winning.

Ge Zhaolong's work was the largest in the competition, and had to be transported by container to each evaluation, with around 10 professionals needing five to six days to complete the dismantling and reassembly.

"Life· Stage" was created using traditional Ninghai-stage construction techniques from the middle of the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). It is saddle-shaped, with four upturned roof corners, and follows the design concept of "the round sky and square earth". The stage is 6.6 meters high, 5.3 meters in exterior length and width, and the stage floor is 0.6 meters above the ground. Though only half the size of existing ancient stages, it is complete in function, and can be used for performances.

The work was built from five kinds of select seasoned camphor, paper mulberry (broussonetia papyrifera vent), cypress, fir and local pine, and with approximately 9,000 components connected using tenon and mortise joints, as well as brackets without nails, and carved into unique and meaningful shapes.

After winning, Ge Zhaolong said that authentic restoration remains his mission, and that winning this award is merely encouragement to continue.

By OUC News Network