“Chegachilik” - the traditional Uzbek technique of mending dishes and its foreign analogues: practices of preserving the craft

The article identifies and compares the features of the traditional craft of mending porcelain dishes, which is called chegachilik in Uzbekistan and is also common in Asia, Europe, and Australia; the actual practices of preserving the ancient craft are determined. Chegachilik involves the restoration of broken dishes by fastening fragments with metal staples, followed by coating the restored product with varnish. The basis of this study is the results of research by archaeologists and ethnographers, materials from interviews and conversations with masters, as well as testimonies of contemporaries about their activities. A cross-cultural approach and ethnographic methods are applied. The author analyzes the history of the development of the chegachilik craft in Uzbekistan, characterizes the high status of the chegachi master, the features of the process of learning the craft and testing the professional skills of a young master, provides new data on the Uzbek chegachi master, who is one of the last bearers of this tradition. The author explores the experience of the Chinese master Tong Weicheng, who independently studied the craft of mending dishes, known in China under the name ju (ju); he also reveals the features of the technique used by the modern Chinese artisan. The author describes the history of the art of ju, which is about five thousand years long, and the master’s activities aimed at transferring his knowledge to students. The author lists features of the Japanese art of kintsugi, based on gluing broken pottery with varnish mixed with precious metal powder; studies the activities of the UK’s and Australia’s artisans, who use elements of the kintsugi technique in their practice. The study demonstrates that in recent decades there has been a tendency for the considered type of craft to disappear; however, in countries such as China, Japan, the UK, and Australia, this tradition has been preserved and brought almost to the level of art. A comparison of the development of the craft in these countries shows that the general technological principles for the restoration of dishes are fundamentally significantly different, and the tools have recently been modernized. The author notes that modern masters have achieved their success through self-education and self-training. The study results in the conclusion that the revival of the art of chegachilik in Uzbekistan is possible with the support and encouragement of enthusiasts who are ready to undertake efforts to study and popularize this unique component of the intangible heritage of the peoples of Central Asia.