Chinese Name: 蔡天民
Born: 1930
Died: January 15, 2024
Birthplace: Taipei City (Northern Taiwan)
Did You Know That…?
Buddha sculpture is an intangible cultural heritage unique to Taiwan that combines wood sculpture with painting. This tradition is closely related to Taoist practices.
Tsai Tien-min was born into a family of Buddha sculpture makers, as he is the fourth-generation successor of a Buddha sculpture store run by his family. He has been helping at the store since he graduated from elementary school and learned the craft from his grandfather Tsai Hsin (蔡心) and father Tsai Nan-shan (蔡南山). Among the four brothers, Tsai Tien-min was the only one who wanted to take over the family business, effectively safeguarding the Buddha sculpture techniques. He has never stopped working for close to eight decades, and the emphasis on the traditional way of making Buddha sculptures can be seen through his works. In 2012, he was recognized by the Tainan City Government as the preserver of the Buddha sculpture techniques.
Tainan City was once booming with the construction of temples, leading to a high demand for Buddha sculptures, which caused the rise of the craftsmanship in this art form. The traditional wood sculpture in Tainan was already at a high level and a majority of the craftsmen specialized in Buddha statues, leading to the emergence of several outstanding Buddha sculpture makers. Immersed in this environment, Tsai developed his interpretations and made adjustments to his creations, which resulted in a more diverse style and developed a Buddha sculpture culture fused with local elements.
Tsai had been working closely with the Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage for many years and had facilitated masterclass workshops to teach the techniques of Buddha sculpture-making. By telling the stories and background revolving around the process of the craft, Tsai helped the students learn more about and appreciate the application of this tradition.
(Photo credit: Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage)