藤家具 岁月不减风华 | 莪仑的藤 万利 Rattan in Gurun: Ban Lee

生长于野外林中的蔓蔓青藤，经过繁琐的加工处理后，才适合制成家具。生长于莪仑（Gurun）的手工藤制家具师傅周泰发慢慢劳作，到外地闯荡一番后回到小镇，悠悠经营着自己的藤制家具店--万利。今年78岁的他凭强健的体魄和灵巧的双手，打造形形色色的藤制家具及用品，同时承接客制化订单。
莪仑是“稻米之乡”吉打州内第二大的华人新村，逾300户居民里潮州籍贯占大多数。当地的经济活动早期以农业为主，后来才朝制造业和工业发展。早年家具市场选择有限，几乎家家户户都使用物美价廉的藤制家具，莪仑的藤制家具业在60至80年代最为繁盛。相较于厚重的原木沙发或皮革沙发，藤制沙发轻巧凉快又不易损坏，尤其畅销。
当地首家藤具店「永泰利」原为周泰发父亲的打铁铺，无意继承家业的哥哥到外埠学会藤制家具的技艺，将店铺转型但仍保留父亲的店号。店里一度雇佣十余名学徒，为一些无法升学的青少年提供谋生出路。他们学成手艺后，纷纷在新村内的住家开设藤具作坊，藤具店供不应求时甚至会请他们外包一部分的家具制作。
周泰发年少时向哥哥习艺，曾在「永泰利」帮忙一段时日。尔后，他辗转于双溪大年、居林、大铅、亚罗士打和吉兰丹哥打巴鲁等多处藤具店工作，积累丰富经验，再返乡创业。他几经波折收回父亲出租予印度人的店面后，「万利」于1986年5月12日开张，怀揣 “一本万利，万事顺利” 的美好希冀。
直径寸余的笔直藤棍，任由烈焰舔舐也面不改色，却在高温之下渐渐软化，这时可趁热用力将其掰弯，待它冷却即定型。为达成特定的弧度，或许得重复加热及施力好几遍。经过岁月打磨，藤制家具经常受皮肤表面的油脂滋润，形成包浆，显得更光滑亮丽，无需额外进行保养。即使一些藤条不堪摧残而断裂，周叔叔也提供维修服务。
80年代末90年代初工业崛起，市面上有了更多不同材质的平价家具供选择，手工藤具市场逐渐萎缩。此外，政府立法严格管控林产品的采集，导致原材料有市无价。雪上加霜的情况下，许多制藤业者无奈改行，莪仑新村内的藤具作坊所剩无几。如今「万利」和「永泰利」仍屹立于老街场上。
藤制家具透气性强、质地坚韧，置放于室内或庭园两相宜，自然的色泽散发一种清新淳朴又不失恬淡舒适的气息。热带雨林里就地取材制成的家具，从早年的简陋粗拙到如今时尚文艺的手工精品，市场需求却大不如前。周叔叔依然认为藤制家具的前景乐观，同时对儿子有意继承感到欣慰。只要抱持兴趣及耐心，凭手艺赚取三餐温饱不成问题。
Raw rattan vines grow in the tropical rainforests, and require meticulous processing to be made into furniture. Rattan furniture maker Chiau Tai Huat, born and bred in Gurun, has been working in the industry for decades. Throughout his career, he worked in several different places before returning to his hometown and set up his own shop - Ban Lee. At 78 years old, he is still using his strong physique and skillful hands to craft all sorts of rattan furniture and household goods, at the same time accepting custom order requests.
Gurun is the second largest Chinese new village in Kedah, with around 300 households, the majority of them being TeoChew. Agriculture used to be the main local economy, later on there came manufacturing and industrialisation. In the early days, there were limited furniture options, almost every household used rattan furniture, which was inexpensive and of good quality. The rattan furniture industry in Gurun was most prosperous from the 1960s to the 1980s. Compared with wooden sofas or leather sofas, rattan sofas are light, cool and not easily damaged, therefore especially popular.
The first rattan furniture shop in Gurun, Eng Thye Lee, used to be an ironsmith shop ran by Chiau Tai Huat’s father. Chiau’s elder brother, who was unwilling to learn the trade, went outstation and learned to make rattan furniture instead, thus transforming the business but still operating under the same trade name. Back then he employed a dozen or so apprentices, providing livelihood for young dropouts. After mastering the craft, they would start their own rattan workshops at home in the new village. During peak seasons, Eng Thye Lee would even outsource some projects to them.
Chiau Tai Huat learnt to make rattan furniture from his elder brother, and became his aide in Eng Thye Lee. After a while, he went around Sungai Petani, Kulim, Yan, Alor Setar, and Kota Bharu, Kelantan, working in various rattan shops and gained much experience. He then returned to his hometown to set up his own shop, and took great pains to reclaim a shoplot that his father rented to an Indian barber. Ban Lee officially opened in 12th May 1986, with beautiful hopes of “prosperous” and “everything goes well”.
A rattan stick with a diameter of an inch or so does not change colour when burned, but gradually soften under the high temperature. Bend it while it is hot, and it will retain the shape when it cools down. To achieve a specific curvature, it may be necessary to repeat heating and apply force several times. Over time, the surface of the rattan furniture will appear shiny due to being moisturised by sebum, no maintenance is required. Even if the rattan strips wear out, Uncle Chiau provides repair services.
With the rapid rise of industrialisation around the 1990s, there were more furniture choices at affordable prices, demand for handmade rattan furniture decreased. Moreover, the government enacted strict laws to control forest harvesting, resulting in skyrocketing raw material prices. As things went from bad to worse, most rattan furniture makers had no choice but to switch careers, only a handful remain in Gurun new village. Till this day, Ban Lee and Eng Thye Lee are still standing on the old street.
Rattan furniture provides excellent ventilation and is durable, suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, its natural colour exudes a simple and tranquil atmosphere. Furniture made from raw materials in local tropical rainforests has evolved from crude products in the early days to fashionable artisanal crafts, albeit less in demand. Uncle Chiau is optimistic about the future of rattan furniture, and he is glad to see his son taking interest in inheriting the trade. With passion, perseverance, and patience, one will manage to make a living.
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