Elderly palanquin builder strives to keep craft alive

In the mansion on the intersection of Shennung and Haian streets in the southern city's downtown area, he has a workshop where he makes palanquins.

In Taiwan, palanquins are used to carry the statues of Taoist gods in religious parades and on pilgrimages.

The sedan chairs, as they are also known, vary in size and are usually carried by four to 12 male Taoist followers. They are essentially elaborate wooden carriages on poles, and date back hundreds of years in Asia.

Wang has been building these vehicles for 50 years.

Although they are now being made commercially with the use of modern equipment and techniques, there is still a market for the exquisite hand-carved palanquins that Wang turns out.

In his hometown, some 80 percent of the local temples contain palanquins or wooden sculptures made by Wang. He also receives orders for the chairs from temples outside Tainan City.

Wang began learning his craft at an early age. When he was 15, he started working alongside his father, learning carpentry to help his family make a living.

A smart and diligent apprentice, he soon learned to make simple pieces such as tables, cupboards, shelves and tool racks.

By the 1970s he had acquired solid skills as a craftsman and a good reputation in southern Taiwan and he began applying his expertise to the crafting of palanquins.

Within a decade, he had built a business that at its peak employed over 20 workers.

“No matter how many orders were flowing in, my workers never dared to cut corners to save time. They were required to pay strict attention to detail, regardless of how busy they were,” Wang said.

This approach was observed throughout the entire process, from selection of the materials to design and assembly of the pieces.

These days, business is much slower. Wang gets about 10 orders per year and has a team of some 10 craftsmen, including his son, his son-in-law and his grandson, who work to fill the orders.

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