Yi metal forging skills (making skills of Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knives in Xide) In the history of Yi people, there are many kinds of ethnic crafts, and steel tool forging skills are an important part of Yi folk crafts. Among them, the Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knives in Xide are famous for their exquisite workmanship, dexterous blades, sharp blades, and convenient carrying. [Era of production] The making skills of leaf-shaped double-ear waist knives are mainly passed down from generation to generation by the Maji family living in Xide. According to the 73-year-old McGillpo, the knife-making skills have been passed down for 14 generations in their family. Before liberation, from the Maguo Mountain Range to the Hongmo Mountain Range, within a radius of hundreds of miles, the Maji family was the only knife-making family. [Distribution area] The making skills of Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knives are mainly distributed in Erfu Village, Mishi Town, Xide County, Liangshan Prefecture. Erfu Village is located in the west of Mishi Town, next to the Mixi Highway. This is the location of the standard pronunciation of the Chinese Yi language and belongs to the Erba Mountain area where only Yi people live. There are ravines and valleys here, springs are gurgling, and wood is abundant. There are Rupo trees and Kis trees for burning charcoal. The Moseiyi River produces stones such as Ah, As, and Bo for sharpening knives. [Basic content] Yi knives can be divided into Dongmuganou (curved machete), Dongmuket (flat-headed machete), Haigou (Yi sickle), Dongmuler (Yi sharp knife or dagger), Aiqingqumu (Yi razor), and Cimu (Yi wool scissors). The leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife is named because the shape of the knife looks like a willow leaf, and there are two ear-shaped pieces on both sides of the blade near the handle. It is used to be hung on the waist of men. The leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife made by the Maji family is complex in craftsmanship, fine workmanship, beautiful appearance, strong rigidity, small and practical, and is a portable knife for Yi men. When going up and down the mountain, they cut wood and bamboo, when climbing the cliff, they insert the knife handrail, when wild animals attack, they defend themselves, in daily life, they slaughter animals and cut meat, and at grand gatherings, they adorn the waist of men to make them more handsome. Therefore, the leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife is a famous knife that combines practicality, collection, decoration, display, and gift giving. It is the most famous Yi waist knife among the people in Sichuan. The basic content of the Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife production process includes "Seweng fierce burning, forging, grinding, grinding, embroidering, making handles, and making scabbards". Seweng is to cut down trees such as Rubo and Jisi, add dry firewood to the pit and ignite it to burn, and when it is completely burned into red charcoal, a layer of green and green branches with leaves is laid on the pit, and finally sealed with soil. The soil is uncovered on the next day, and the charcoal is carried back home in a bamboo basket. Forging is an important step. It is necessary to heat the pig iron 15 times, forge it 15 times with a hammer, and beat the steel several times, so that all the scrap iron and scrap iron are dissolved in the fire, and only the superior steel fire can be used to make the waist knife. After the initial mold of the waist knife is made, the stone grinding stage begins. The so-called stone grinding is to use stones to sharpen the knife, but the grinding stone of the Maiji family, a family of Yi waist knives, is not an ordinary grinding stone, but a special stone specially collected from Moseiga, and is divided into three types of stones: Ah, As, and Bo. Each type of grinding stone contains a sharpening process. After grinding with the grinding stone, it enters the steel grinding stage, which is to use a saw sharpener to finely grind the waist knife. After grinding, the knife is embellished with words, the blade is hardened and steel is added, and finally the handle and scabbard are made to form an exquisite and practical double-ear waist knife. [Basic characteristics] 1. Unique craftsmanship characteristics. The production of the Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife includes at least fifteen processes such as "Sewenglie burning, forging, grinding, steel, embroidering, making handles and scabbards". Among them, quenching and steeling, sheepskin blowing, hammer stacking, stone grinding, charcoal burning and other processes are unique folk crafts. 2. Exquisite appearance characteristics. The knife shape that looks like a willow leaf, inlaid with ear-shaped pieces, the blade with various patterns embroidered, the handle inlaid with ox horns, and the scabbard made of metal, wood and leather constitute the exquisite Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife. 3. Multifunctional characteristics. The Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife is an ordinary knife in daily life, and its function is the same as that of ordinary knives, but when it is hung on a man's waist, it becomes an ornament, so it has multifunctional characteristics. [Basic value] 1. Unique craft value. The production of the Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife includes complex process such as "Sewenglie burning, forging, grinding, steel, embroidering, making handles and scabbards". Seweng is to make charcoal, which is the first preparation that Yi ironworkers often have to do. During the slack season, they take knives, axes, hoes and other tools to the forest, first use the hoe to dig a large open pit, then cut down trees such as Rubo and Jisi, add dry firewood to the pit and ignite it to burn, and when it is completely burned into red charcoal, cover the pit with a layer of green and leafy branches, and finally seal it with soil. The soil is not opened until the next day, and the charcoal is carried back home in a bamboo basket, which prepares the best fuel for work. In the process of making leaf-shaped double-ear waist knives, forging is an important link. Pig iron needs to be burned red 15 times, forged 15 times with a hammer, and steel is beaten several times to make the scrap steel and scrap iron completely dissolved in the fire, leaving only the best steel fire to make waist knives. After the initial mold of the waist knife is made, the stone grinding stage begins. The so-called stone grinding is to sharpen the knife with a stone. However, the grinding stone of the Maiji family, a family of Yi waist knives, is not an ordinary grinding stone, but a special stone specially collected from Moseiyiga. It is divided into three types of stones: Ah, As, and Bo. Each type of grinding stone includes a sharpening process. After grinding with the grinding stone, it enters the steel grinding stage, which is to use a saw sharpener to finely grind the waist knife. After grinding, the knife is embellished with words and finally the handle and scabbard are made. 2. Exquisite artistic value. The blade of the Yi leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife is made of superior steel. The handle was made of ox horn in the past, and later evolved into aluminum, zinc and other materials. The handle ring is made of brass, and there are colorful inlays on the handle. Two ear-shaped patches are made and pasted on both sides of the blade near the handle with silver or brass. There are tattoos in the shapes of circles, semicircles, strips, canals, nails, eight eyes, rooster eyes, etc. on both sides of the knife, which have exquisite artistic value. 3. Practical value. Among the many Yi knives, the big knife has its own practical value, and the small knife has its own practical value. The leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife has practical value for carrying with it because of its exquisite workmanship, small size and convenient carrying. 4. The Yi people's leaf-shaped double-ear waist knife also has important value such as precious collection and gift.