STORY: Apprenticeship in traditional Chinese crafts: Italian expat explores Nanjing gold foil forging technique
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Jan. 11, 2025
LENGTH: 00:04:30
LOCATION: NANJING, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
3. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): Nanjing resident
4. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): Nanjing resident    
5. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
6. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
7. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
8. SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
9. SOUNDBITE 9 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
10. SOUNDBITE 10 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
11. SOUNDBITE 11 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
12. SOUNDBITE 12 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
13. SOUNDBITE 13 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
14. SOUNDBITE 14 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
15. SOUNDBITE 15 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
16. SOUNDBITE 16 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
17. SOUNDBITE 17 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
18. SOUNDBITE 18 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
19. SOUNDBITE 19 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
20. SOUNDBITE 20 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
21. SOUNDBITE 21 (Chinese): CHEN LAN, Technical expert 
22. SOUNDBITE 22 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
23. SOUNDBITE 23 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
24. SOUNDBITE 24 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
25. SOUNDBITE 25 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
26. SOUNDBITE 26 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
27. SOUNDBITE 27 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
28. SOUNDBITE 28 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
29. SOUNDBITE 29 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
30. SOUNDBITE 30 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China 
31. SOUNDBITE 31 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China   

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Today, I'm here in Nanjing to ask the (local) people if they know what's the place that has the most gold in the city. Let's go and see."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Do you know what place in Nanjing holds the most gold?"

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): Nanjing resident
"The Bank of China."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): Nanjing resident
"The China Gold Foil Art Museum."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Wow, exactly! Let's head over there right away!"

SOUNDBITE 6 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Gold, nature's precious treasure, has captivated humanity with its dazzling brilliance ever since its discovery. Strolling through the China Gold Foil Art Museum feels like stepping into the scenes described by Marco Polo - a golden paradise in the East, where roofs are covered in gilded tiles and floors paved with gold bricks. Doors and windows gleam with golden decorations. Here, I met Nanjing's gold foil heritage inheritor, Master Ge."
  
SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Hello, are you Master Ge?"

SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique 
"Yes, I am."

SOUNDBITE 9 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Hi, I'm Alex. I'm deeply fascinated by Chinese gold foil, and would love to learn more about it." 

SOUNDBITE 10 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"Sure. I'll show you around. These dragon pillars are gilded, as are the throne and the screen behind it. The craftsmanship is incredibly intricate, with each sheet of gold foil carefully applied one by one. Gold foil is also used in painting and calligraphy, adding brilliance to the creations."  

SOUNDBITE 11 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Through his explanations, I learned that the stunning golden displays in the museum are crafted using sheets of gold foil that are exceptionally thin, finer than a strand of hair, and as soft as silk. Golden dragon pillars, vivid gilded cranes and gilding technique in traditional Chinese paintings, all embody the timeless beauty that emerges only through meticulous refinement."

SOUNDBITE 12 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"The most crucial step in gold foil forging is what we call 'Daliaoxi' - the beating process. Two people need to strike 25,000 to 30,000 blows in a single day to complete one batch."

SOUNDBITE 13 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"I'd love to give it a try!"

SOUNDBITE 14 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"Of course. Strike like this, with your arms extended." 

SOUNDBITE 15 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Like this? Got it. I can definitely handle this. Wow, it's heavy!"   

SOUNDBITE 16 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"The technique of gold foil forging, a craft inherited over 1,800 years, still follows the 12 traditional manufacturing steps. Among these, 'Daliaoxi' (fine beating) is the most critical step. It requires two artisans to sit facing each other, and strike tens of thousands of times to produce gold foil that is exceptionally thin and soft. Every strike tests both the gold's resilience and pushes the boundaries of craftsmanship."

SOUNDBITE 17 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"Though modern technology assists with the beating process, gold foil cutting is still done entirely by hand."

SOUNDBITE 18 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"It sounds pretty simple. I think I can handle it too."

SOUNDBITE 19 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"Alright, let's give it a shot. This is the cutting process. Let him try."

SOUNDBITE 20 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Okay, let me give it a go."

SOUNDBITE 21 (Chinese): CHEN LAN, Technical expert 
"Press down and push forward, and blow away the unwanted foils."

SOUNDBITE 22 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Guys, I just failed from the start this time! This is really hard. Fan che le! (I just couldn't do it.) OK, I couldn't really do this, but right now I have a golden finger. Wow."

SOUNDBITE 23 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"This is so challenging! No matter how I blow, I just can't manage it. What should I do?" 

SOUNDBITE 24 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"You need to control your breath. Let's start with an exercise. Blow out the candle in the middle. When you can do it without blowing out other candles, your cutting technique will improve."

SOUNDBITE 25 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Just one candle?"

SOUNDBITE 26 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"Yes."

SOUNDBITE 27 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"How can I control my breath to blow out just one candle?"

SOUNDBITE 28 (Chinese): GE CAIJIN, Representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage - Nanjing gold foil forging technique
"Focus your breath to blow in a straight line."

SOUNDBITE 29 (Chinese): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"It must mean I've got some talent! Great! Wow, I nailed it." 

SOUNDBITE 30 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"Fragile and delicate yet immensely captivating, gold foil possesses a profound allure. It takes 500 sheets, each just 0.1 microns thick, to equal the thickness of a strand of hair, embodying the resilience and precision of Chinese artisans. Just as pure gold achieves its brilliance through relentless refinement, true artistry emerges through enduring countless trials. The beauty of Chinese culture, born from its intricate craftsmanship, radiates with unparalleled splendor."

SOUNDBITE 31 (English): ALEX ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian expat in China
"I was incredibly amazed by Chinese artisans' incredible skill and their passion for their job. Recently, a growing number of Chinese art pieces are exported abroad. The whole world is craving to see Chinese beauty with their own eyes. I'm sure that after today, the Chinese Nanjing gold foil technique will get famous and more famous all over the world."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nanjing, China.
(XHTV)