影／廣州手工蛋糕模型店傳承百年技藝 老師傅曝背後關鍵秘訣

【看CP學英文】余周濟做了一輩子的傳統手藝幾近失傳，手工蛋糕模具上鏤刻著複雜的圖案，逢年過節時，每個圖案代表不同的祝福。當新穎糕餅店一間間開設，這項技藝逐漸沒落，僅剩余周濟在廣州開了130年手工模具店仍然屹立不搖，傳承這項輝煌傳統。

For Yu Zhaoji, his work and craftsmanship is on edge of extinction.

For generations, handmade cake molds, etched with intricate carvings, represented goodwill during Chinese celebrations.

As the obsolete practice loses traction to modern cake shops and designs, Yu Zhaoji’s 150-year-old handmade mold shop in Guangzhou remains the last bastion to this once glorious tradition.

模具店的客戶主要是住在海外的華人家庭。 儘管身在海外，許多華人家庭仍會訂購傳統糕餅模，成為百年老店的穩定忠實顧客，足見余周濟的技藝對海外華人有長遠十足的影響力。

The shop’s livelihood depends on Chinese families established overseas.

Despite living abroad, a handful of these families are adamant preservers and consistent customers of traditional cake molds. Yu Zhaoji’s craft has had a lasting impact on Chinese populations all over the world.

這些模具是由白樺、梨樹木材經2年風乾後所製成。模具上深深刻下的圖案代表財富、事業、好運以及昌隆。

To create these molds, wood from birch leaf pear trees with fine grains are dried out over two year periods.

The patterns on these molds, emblems of fortune, good career, luck, and prosperity, are painstakingly carved out.

問及雕刻設計的關鍵技術，余師傅表示，「要刻出好的蛋糕模，你必須先把立體圖案準備好，就像其他手工藝，如果你要以此為生，就必須非常有耐心。」

When asked about the key to sculpting quality designs, Yu answers, “To carve out a nice cake mold, you need stereoscopic patterns that are well arranged.

Just like other crafts, if you do this for a living, you need patience and more patience.”