72
KEITH G. STEVENS
The process of carving a new god begins with the customer approaching the master carver and over tea discussing his requirements. Most customers know the deity they want and all is settled in about half an hour. The details required by the carver are the title of the deity, its size, decoration and finish. However, as would be expected, there are the awkward customers who either know better than the carver and want a regular image with unusual features, or they want a deity who is not commonly carved and therefore possibly unknown to the carver, or want particular features incorporated for their own reasons. The carver accommodates all and after a few sketches and more discussion a price is fixed. The size of images in Singapore nowadays is measured by height in inches; the standard household altar images being six or eight inches and small temple images ten or fourteen inches high. Larger images are carved approximately 3 feet, 6 feet and 8 feet high, but nowadays not all that frequently (Plate 9).
A block of camphor wood of the right height is selected from stock, prayers are said over it and a charm to ward off evil spirits pasted on it (Plate 10). The title of the intended deity is written on the side and the block replaced to await its turn (Plate 11).
One carver had a special ruler (Plate 12) which he uses for "measuring the destiny" of the gods he carves, copied in modern plastic from the wooden one his father had made originally in Fukien province. It is not divided into either Chinese or Western numerical measurements but into sections of equal length labelled “lucky, unlucky, healthy, unhealthy, etc". This "secret" ruler is stood vertically against the image block to ensure that its final height will be such that it will be able to perform the function required of it and is not of a size which will bring bad luck.
On an auspicious day before a start is made, the master carver says a silent prayer before his own household altar to Lu Pan, the Patron of Carpenters (7) for guidance and help. He sometimes learns whilst in prayer that the basic feature of the image should show him seated or standing, astride a horse or mythical animal, and with or without a weapon. He roughs out with a charcoal pencil the three-dimensional outline; then using the first tool, a small axe, he chops away to produce a rough shaped block (Plates 13 and 14). This he passes over to one of his senior employees who carves the final shape with his western chisels (14"-1/8") (See plate
72
KEITH G. STEVENS
The process of carving a new god begins with the customer approaching the master carver and over tea discussing his require- ments. Most customers know the deity they want and all is settled in about half an hour. The details required by the carver are the title of the deity, its size, decoration and finish. However, as would be expected, there are the awkward customers who either know better than the carver and want a regular image with unusual fea- tures, or they want a deity who is not commonly carved and there- fore possibly unknown to the carver, or want particular features incorporated for their own reasons. The carver accommodates all and after a few sketches and more discussion a price is fixed. The size of images in Singapore nowadays is measured by height in inches; the standard household altar images being six or eight inches and small temple images ten or fourteen inches high. Larger images are carved approximately 3 feet, 6 feet and 8 feet high, but now- adays not all that frequently (Plate 9).
A block of camphor wood of the right height is selected from stock, prayers are said over it and a charm to ward off evil spirits pasted on it (Plate 10). The title of the intended deity is written on the side and the block replaced to await its turn (Plate 11).
One carver had a special ruler (Plate 12) which he uses for "measuring the destiny" of the gods he carves, copied in modern plastic from the wooden one his father had made originally in Fukien province. It is not divided into either Chinese or Western numerical measurements but into sections of equal length labelled “lucky, unlucky, healthy, unhealthy, etc". This "secret" ruler is stood vertically against the image block to ensure that its final height will be such that it will be able to perform the function required of it and is not of a size which will bring bad luck.
On an auspicious day before a start is made, the master carver says a silent prayer before his own household altar to Lu Pan, the Patron of Carpenters (7) for guidance and help. He some- times learns whilst in prayer that the basic feature of the image should show him seated or standing, astride a horse or mythical animal, and with or without a weapon. He roughs out with a char- coal pencil the three-dimensional outline; then using the first tool, a small axe, he chops away to produce a rough shaped block (Plates 13 and 14). This he passes over to one of his senior employees who carves the final shape with his western chisels (14"-1/8") (See plate
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