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Re:“Made In China”
Over the years I had heard rumors of poor working conditions in China. This is certainly not the case at the two facilities I visited. The Eastman building was originally a clothing factory. The rooms are huge with large windows running the entire length of the walls. Workers, wearing identical Eastman String jackets or aprons to protect street clothes (the women sport high-heeled toe-crunching shoes, fake Versace, Gucci and Armani handbags resting on the floor), sit at individual tables or desks with additional lighting from low hanging florescent fixtures. The rooms are airy, sunny and overlook courtyards where willow trees and blooming roses grow. Though there are 40-50 workers in the room there was total silence; yet a feeling of cooperative camaraderie along with concentration prevailed. What was shocking was the incredible speed and precision with which the makers worked. I watched a woman cut a violin f-hole in 10 minutes! Friedgood smiles: ‘The work ethic here is really scary. Our people come in early and leave late. Even though Saturday is optional most are here six days a week.’ Employees are paid by the piece and the better the craftsmanship the more they are paid. Wages are between $150 and $200 per month. This seems very low, but the cost of living in China is far below that of the West. (In Xi’an we had a fabulous 16-course meal in the restaurant’s private dining room for eight. The bill was about $25.)
I am surprised to learn that many of the workers come from rural areas. Master violin makers are responsible for teaching each part of instrument making. Family members come to apprentice. ‘These are carved by a master who has made only scrolls for fifteen years.’ Xue points to a cello scroll with inlaid ebony. ‘He has three apprentices who work under his guidance for one or two years. I prefer training youngsters and teach them the correct way from the beginning. In China often families can’t afford for their children to attend high school. I give them a craft and they can earn good money.’ Picking up a bow I tune a cello, sit on a nearby stool and play a movement of a Bach Suite. A dozen or so apron-clad workers gather around and applaud with genuine appreciation. I am left with the impression this is the first time they have ever heard the instrument they spend thousands of hours creating. The wood has a magnificent flame, the tone is big, rich and responsive and the price was right, so I bought it.
China definitely has power to change the lifestyle Western countries used to, the power to overload the world with goods which traditionally belonged to other cultures. I agree that there will be new Stradivarius born and bread in China. Statistics speaks for itself. From its 40-some factories, a violin rolls off human assembly lines on average of one a minute, every day, every week — more than 600,000 a year.
Just wanted to remind you that it is impossible to craft fine violin knowing perfectly well but only one fragment of the whole process. Though the violin is compiled from less than 60 parts it is a very complicated vibrating system. I understand that only master violin maker who is in charge of the whole process and has the goal of creating ideal sound can eventually collect enough experience and reach the task.
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