Chinese Name: 徐明河
Year of Birth: 1942
Died: July 17, 2023
Place of Birth: Taoyuan County (Northern Taiwan)
Did You Know?
Trencadís and clay sculpture is a technique commonly used in the decoration of temples. "Trencadís" is the making of mosaic art using cut up and reassembled ceramic tiles, with the "clay sculpture" part involving the mosaic being crafted on a ceramic embryo. This type of inlay relief art combines skills such as sculpting, trimming, inlaying, and painting, requiring a high level of craftsmanship from artisans.
When Hsu Ming-he was just 14 years old, he finished school and started working as an apprentice in a bakery and a traditional Chinese medicine shop. Back then, not many people continued their education, and many chose to learn a trade to make a living. One day, Hsu Ming-he saw master trencadís artist Yao Chih-lai (姚自來) working on a project for a ceremonial archway at the Ji Yi Temple (集義宮) in Taipei's Wanhua district. The master noticed that Hsu Ming-he had a talent for understanding the process of making trencadís, and invited him to become an apprentice. From then on, Hsu Ming-he entered the world of trencadís, clay sculpture, and Cochin ware.
Hsu Ming-he learned from one of the "Five Tigers of the Hong School," Yao Chih-lai, who inherited the lively and colorful style of Cochin ware and trencadís and clay sculpture techniques from master craftsman Hong Kun-fu (洪坤福) and later became a third-generation descendant of the Hong School. During his 40-month apprenticeship, Hsu started from the basics, observed and improved with his fellow apprentices, and often thought about how to sharpen his own skills.
Due to the long hours and on-site work required in this industry, the weather can often be a challenge to be overcome. During the apprenticeship process, the master is also very strict, and it is difficult to persist without both patience and interest. Hsu Ming-he always studied and worked diligently during his apprenticeship, and under the stringent requirements and guidance of his master, he honed his solid skills. Impressed by Hsu's seriousness and technique, his mentor allowed him to participate in actual production even before he graduated. He even took Hsu to visit the Chaotian Temple (朝天宮) in Beigang, Yunlin when he graduated, which was a treatment that many of his fellow apprentices did not receive.
In Taiwanese temples, it is common to decorate the walls with symbolic images that represent good luck, fortune, and blessings. These images often have a story or historical significance and serve an educational purpose. Hsu Ming-he, through years of experience and personal observation, has developed a mastery of the techniques used to create trencadís and clay sculptures of people, flowers, animals, and buildings. His skillful craftsmanship and ability to convey meaning and narrative in his work are truly impressive.
After Hsu began his restoration project at the Dalongdong Baoan Temple (大龍峒保安宮) in 1998, he shifted his focus to the restoration of historical sites. Maintaining cultural artifacts requires not only rigorous scientific techniques, but also expertise in culture and art. Hsu insists on following traditional handcrafting methods for all trencadís and clay sculpture techniques, processes, and materials. With the goal of preserving, restoring, and passing down the art of trencadís and clay sculpture, Hsu Ming-he was invited to teach these techniques at the Department of Architecture Art Conservation at the National Taiwan University of Arts in 2004.
Hsu's works can be found all over Taiwan, including temples such as Taipei's Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Beitou Guandu Temple (北投關渡宮), and Taoyuan's Daxi Mingzhai Temple (大溪明齋寺). He continues to restore historical sites and pass on the techniques of trencadís and clay sculpture in schools. In 2015, the Taoyuan City Cultural Bureau registered Hsu Ming-he as a Preserver of the Traditional Craft of Trencadís and Clay Sculpture, and in 2022, the Ministry of Culture named him a Preserver of the Important Cultural Heritage of Trencadís and Clay Sculpture. With 60 years of experience in trencadís and clay sculpture, Hsu has gone from being an apprentice to a professional technical expert at the university level, and has witnessed the history of trencadís and clay sculpture in Taiwan, from ordinary temples to historical sites.