砖雕，俗称“硬花活”，是中国一种古老的建筑装饰艺术。它是以物质生产为基础，伴随着建筑的发展，砖制材料在建筑中的应用而出现的，是在满足当时人们朴素的精神需求、信仰追求和审美要求等社会生活的需要而创造的艺术形式。
Brick carving, commonly known as "hard flower", is an ancient Chinese architectural decoration art. It is based on material production, with the development of architecture and the application of brick materials in architecture. It is an art form created to meet the needs of people's simple spiritual needs, belief pursuit and aesthetic requirements.
砖雕成品之所以能经受数百年的日晒雨淋，是因为它是经过复杂的工艺流程制作而成的。砖雕从原料的选取到全部工序完成要经过30多个环节。
The reason why brick carving products can withstand hundreds of years of exposure to the sun and rain is that it is made through a complex process. Brick carving from the selection of raw materials to the completion of all processes to go through more than 30 links.
扬州彩衣街30号门楼上的砖雕
Brick carvings on gate 30, Caiyi street, Yangzhou
首先是要烧制出青砖。从原料的选取到出窑，要经过选土、制泥、制模、脱坯、凉坯、入窑、看火、上水、出窖九道工序，烧制砖的窖体积非常小，据说是为了“好看火、易操作、出好货”。
The first thing is to make green bricks. From the selection of raw materials to the production of kiln, there are nine processes: soil selection, mud making, mould making, billet cooling, kiln entering, fire watching, water filling and pit discharging. The cellar volume for firing bricks is very small, which is said to be "good for fire, easy to operate and good for goods".