My father has always treasured an old wooden box, which is full of carpenter's relics such as saws, planers, handholes, wood drills and Mo Dou. My father is not a carpenter, but when he was young, he liked to make some small furniture by himself. Up to now, my mother's family still uses his cupboards and recliners, just like a well-trained carpenter. When I am old, I can't do exquisite activities. I occasionally take it out to play. When we moved several years ago, we mobilized him to throw it away. He was almost angry and put it under the bed more carefully.

I don't know when the carpenter's story originated, but it was recorded by Lu Ban, the originator of carpenters in the Spring and Autumn Period. Later generations used "teaching axe to teach people" to describe showing off skills in front of the master, referring to this ancestor. It can be seen that carpenters have always been respected. When they travel to places of interest, they see the carved beams, painted buildings and pastels of ancient buildings. The exquisite craftsmanship of skilled craftsmen is really amazing.

In the early years, carpenters, blacksmiths and masons were all enviable craft jobs, and carpenters seemed to be better. Compared with other industries, carpentry is relatively easy and decent, but not anyone who wants to do it can do it. Carpenters usually have to choose their own branches, or be smart. "Master, master", once you become an apprentice, you really have to honor your master like your parents. In addition to a serious apprenticeship, you have to have eyes, and you have to serve tea and cigarettes. The master treats his apprentice harshly than his own son. The so-called "strict teachers make excellent students" is probably the case. However, the disciples themselves should be strict with themselves. "The master leads the door and practices in the individual." When he left his apprentice, whether he was proficient or not depended on his own understanding and spirituality.

In the old society, people who were a little richer would have a few exquisite pieces of furniture. The long strips carved with dragons and phoenixes and the square tables hollowed out around them were carefully carved by carpenters. So far, my mother-in-law still has the antique strips left by the old woman. Although it doesn't match modern furniture, it is really a rare old cultural relic. A few years ago, someone paid a high price to buy it, but the old man was reluctant to sell it, which was not only an appreciation of art, but also a nostalgia and sustenance for the older generation.

I was very impressed with carpenters when I was a child. As far as I can remember, there are carpenter shops in almost every village. I have never heard of buying furniture, all of which are "players' furniture". No matter who has a wife or daughter, they invite a team of carpenters to their home. Wood contracted by a contractor and prepared by himself. No matter what materials, the carpenter just needs to finish the furniture. There are also contractors and materials. The two sides will negotiate the price and the carpenter will send them home. Anyone who goes to the game equipment needs good wine and good food to serve. On the one hand, it is to let the carpenter do his best, on the other hand, it is also a kind of treatment, which reflects the respect for the carpenter.

I remember that one year our family lived in the compound of the Grain Management Institute, and the government hired a team of carpenters to make office tables and chairs, and the carpenters even filled a warehouse. Out of curiosity, I always like to stroll after school, and I can see some doorways after a long time. Carpenters have a strict division of labor, sawing wood, unraveling wood and chiseling wood eyes, each performing his duties and cooperating very tacitly. In carpentry, swinging a big pole should be the most dangerous job. Carry a round stick, first cut off the bark with a pole. When cutting, hold the log with one foot to prevent it from rolling around, and the front foot will be slightly upturned. The action is like a hoe, and the pole is a bit like a hoe. When cutting, the lift should be high, so that it will be strong when falling. To cut off the epidermis, the next step is to draw lines. First, mark the position with a ruler or a square ruler as needed. The carpenter took out a small Mo Dou from the toolbox, which was full of thread and flour. One man pulled the thread out of the Mo Dou, and the other man held the other end of Mo Dou. Find a good position, tighten the line, stir the line by hand, and draw a straight line with a fierce pull. The next step is to untie the board. The wood is propped up with stones, forming a 45-degree angle. The tool to untie the board is a saw. Usually the master works in pairs, and the apprentice is below. This time depends on the loyalty of the apprentice. If you pull it up, the apprentice will push it up and pull it down, and the apprentice will work harder and often be covered with sawdust. It is a semi-finished product when the board is disassembled. It is necessary to plane the board with a plane. Pushing an airplane requires skill and strength. Bow your front legs and kick your back legs. Hold the plane with both hands and push it forward evenly. Do you want to squint for flatness? Then, the carpenter measures the use of wood according to the size and thickness of the board. Make all kinds of beautiful cabinets, cabinets, chairs and stools according to the requirements of the main house.

At that time, every household had a wooden bench, which was short, small and exquisite, and we all carried it at school. It should be said that making wooden benches is the most basic activity among carpenters, and it is also the most test of carpenter's kung fu. A board, four legs, four braces, without a nail, the legs and braces should be as long as usual. Needless to say, it depends on whether the chisel is too big or too small. Legend has it that carpenters use the idiom "slow and steady" to measure whether a wooden stool can pass the test.

As far as I can remember, my family hired carpenters twice. The first time was in the 1970s, when I was still in a difficult period. My father bought some pieces of wood from somewhere and wanted to make a cupboard, so he hired two carpenters from the village. Now I think it's probably a master and an apprentice, and the apprentice is still very young. Holding a long pipe, the master squatted aside for a while, squeezed out a pinch of Chinese cigarettes from a dirty small cloth bag, pressed them into the pipe, and commanded his disciples to work while smoking. However, the master himself did fine work. There are always two dishes to entertain them at noon, and the master must drink a pot. At that time, craftsmen were very popular. Not only are they full, but they also eat well. No wonder adults often whisper that the beautiful big girl in a village has run away with the little carpenter there. It was a little immoral and disgusting at that time. Now that I think about it, I dare to love boldly, dare to jump out of the shackles of feudal thought and pursue my own happy life. That courage is really amazing.

The second time I hired a carpenter was in the early 1980s. Just started working, living conditions have been greatly improved. Father took out all the wood he had saved for many years and prepared to make some decent furniture. This time, I invited a group of carpenters, about six or seven. I couldn't take care of it, so my mother called my uncle from my hometown in Jiaodong to help me. There are all kinds of Eight Immortals, Eight Immortals, a chest of drawers and a big wardrobe. Carpenter's equipment has also improved a lot, basically realizing electrification. Saw, electric drill and finished paint are also used to brush the outer layer of furniture, so you don't have to cook it yourself. However, wine and meat are still served, carpenters are still striving for perfection, and the furniture is slightly rough and old, but it is durable and has not changed until now.

In the late 1980s, when I got married, modular furniture was popular and there were many wood factories. Those rich and fashionable people go to furniture stores or wood processing factories to buy modular furniture. It looks beautiful, but it is not durable and practical. They are all assembled with modern compressed boards. Although my husband's family also prepared combined cabinets for us, my father insisted on making high and low cabinets, bookcases and writing desks with the wood he bought as a dowry, which is also a combination of local and foreign cultures. I moved a few years ago, but it was eliminated by the new popular furniture, and all of them were given to relatives in the countryside. I think I'm a little nostalgic. I don't know where I am now. Maybe I was eliminated again and became firewood in the stove.

Now, going to the furniture market is really dazzling, with everything, solid wood, plywood, compressed board, and all kinds of materials are dazzling, and it is difficult to distinguish good from bad. The "carpenter's shop" in rural areas has disappeared, and the ancient traditional trade of carpenters has also faded out of people's field of vision, and the sound of "squeaking" has become a distant memory.