Photographs by Timothy S. Allen
Exploring the World with a Camera
Bamboo Master Chen, Ming Hsa, of Taiwan
Bamboo Master Chen is 92 years old and has worked with bamboo since he was 14 years old.
April 12, 2015
Bamboo Master Chen uses his feet as a vice.
I guess he’s seen some vast changes to how he works in that time too. I noticed an electric drill, but how marvellous to be still doing what you love and doing it well at a good age 🙂
Undoubtably, including part of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan from 1896 to the end of WWII
Living in a western country we do tend to forget that.
Yes we do. Then again it tends to be not our focus in the US.
A beautiful man. Don’t we all hope to be able to get to 92 like him?
He is very spry.
There is something about bamboos, they provide peaceful relaxing stress-relieving air. At 92, Master Chan has the secret to long life.
You are right. There is a Zen quality to it. Some of the artists who are participating in the project I’m recording tries to create a small stool similar to what the master did in 45 minutes. They took over 2 hours and still did not complete theirs. However, it was a great way for them to appreciate the skills required to work in bamboo.
he is so old and so happy to see him so active 🙂
He was very flexible. I did not take pictures of his very decorative work but it was beautiful.
Great photos. The foot vise is totally cool.
Yes on the toes. This is the 3rd bamboo master I’ve photographed. Master Chen is the most talented and preserved.
allen – this is truly a wonderful photo of an artist doing his craft – his feet in the second photo has that cultural potency and I just love the work people do. 🙂
Thank you. I too was taken by his ability to handle a difficult art form.
🙂