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Keeping a sophisticated art alive
By Xu Wenwen |
November 8, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
PAPER umbrellas have gone from something used to keep you dry or out of the sun to souvenirs and works of art. Xu Wenwen talks to the owner of one of the few factories in the country still producing the elegant umbrellas.
Carrying a semi-transparent paper umbrella, Chiyo Sakamoto wears a white gown and steps into a blue spotlight. As she spins her body and the umbrella, fake snow flakes flutter about, stunning the audience.
This was a classic scene in "Memory of a Geisha," a film that tells the story of how a little girl grew up to be a geisha. The dance was Sakamoto's debut as a geisha.
The umbrella she swirled in her dance is a paper umbrella, something that reflects the core value of oriental aesthetics - elegancy and grace.
Since 2,000 years ago when paper umbrellas originated in China, it has been used for much more than protecting people from rain and sunlight. They were so popular that they spread to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. People in these countries have further developed paper umbrellas.
Paper umbrellas can be an accessory that adds charm, a house decoration that is believed to ward off bad luck, or a token of love. Xu Xian gave a paper umbrella to White Snake Lady in the renowned "Legend of White Snake."
The paper for these umbrellas are made from the bark of mulberry trees, which is strong but thin. Paper umbrellas are waterproof once they have been lacquered with wood oil.
But umbrellas used in dance, opera and tea ceremonies do not need lacquering, so the paper's semi-transparent quality can add to the stage effect.
Today in China, few people use these beautiful umbrellas as they have become mostly works of art or souvenirs.
Shanghai Daily visits one of the few paper umbrella factories in the country, Tengxin Umbrella Factory in Fuyang, Hangzhou.
Wu Rongkui, general manager of the factory, used to run a painting brush business. More than 20 years ago when people had given up using paper umbrellas, he established the umbrella factory because the local government wanted to keep the folk culture alive.
For over one year, Wu studied from old craftsman and built the factory in 1986. However, even today, few people in the country buy the umbrellas.
"The factory produces some 30,000 paper umbrellas annually and about 95 percent of them are exported to Japan. The rest are for the domestic market," Wu says. "The domestic orders are mainly from troupes or film crews who need paper umbrellas as props."
The wholesale price of an ordinary oil-paper umbrella is less than 100 yuan (US$16). But making a paper umbrella takes more than 70 steps and they are completely handmade. The only two machines at the Tengxin factory are used to process the wooden tips of umbrellas.
Generally, making a paper umbrella starts by chopping bamboo into spokes to produce the umbrella's skeleton. Machines can't be used because they make the bamboo cross section too rough.
A common umbrella requires 36 ribs while a 2-meter-tall large umbrella used at beaches needs 72 ribs. The skeleton should be boiled in water to make it mothproof. Black dye is added to the water to give it a black color.
Wood or bamboo shafts are added to the spokes and colorful cotton threads are used to fasten the top of the shaft with a stretcher and runner.
Covers are stuck onto the skeleton, which are either printed in other factories, or painted by workers. They typically feature dragons, tigers, Chinese characters, flowers, landscapes and other Asian themes and symbols.
And then workers will use black dye to color the cover where it joins the ribs so all umbrellas look black when closed.
After that, the tip of the umbrella will be wrapped with paper and it will be lacquered. The lacquer makes the umbrella waterproof and more durable.
To meet market demands, Wu has made some innovations over the years.
"Silk is also used as the cover, so the umbrella is lighter and nobler," he says. "We also make small decorative umbrellas, which are especially for the Japanese market."
"For practical umbrellas, we studied from Japan and designed two stoppers on the shaft, so people can adjust the size of umbrella," he adds.
Wu says he will never stop the business and will let his children carry on his work.
"Very few people in the country make paper umbrellas now, how can I give up?"
Currently, his one small wish is to enlarge the business so that he can give his workers a raise.
Many ancient cultures are facing the dilemma. According to China's Intangible Cultural Heritage website, there are hundreds of thousands of intangible cultural heritages in the country that need to be protected, just like paper umbrellas. Of these items, more than 1,200 items are national level.
In June, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law was passed in an effort to protect and develop shrinking cultures.
Carrying a semi-transparent paper umbrella, Chiyo Sakamoto wears a white gown and steps into a blue spotlight. As she spins her body and the umbrella, fake snow flakes flutter about, stunning the audience.
This was a classic scene in "Memory of a Geisha," a film that tells the story of how a little girl grew up to be a geisha. The dance was Sakamoto's debut as a geisha.
The umbrella she swirled in her dance is a paper umbrella, something that reflects the core value of oriental aesthetics - elegancy and grace.
Since 2,000 years ago when paper umbrellas originated in China, it has been used for much more than protecting people from rain and sunlight. They were so popular that they spread to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. People in these countries have further developed paper umbrellas.
Paper umbrellas can be an accessory that adds charm, a house decoration that is believed to ward off bad luck, or a token of love. Xu Xian gave a paper umbrella to White Snake Lady in the renowned "Legend of White Snake."
The paper for these umbrellas are made from the bark of mulberry trees, which is strong but thin. Paper umbrellas are waterproof once they have been lacquered with wood oil.
But umbrellas used in dance, opera and tea ceremonies do not need lacquering, so the paper's semi-transparent quality can add to the stage effect.
Today in China, few people use these beautiful umbrellas as they have become mostly works of art or souvenirs.
Shanghai Daily visits one of the few paper umbrella factories in the country, Tengxin Umbrella Factory in Fuyang, Hangzhou.
Wu Rongkui, general manager of the factory, used to run a painting brush business. More than 20 years ago when people had given up using paper umbrellas, he established the umbrella factory because the local government wanted to keep the folk culture alive.
For over one year, Wu studied from old craftsman and built the factory in 1986. However, even today, few people in the country buy the umbrellas.
"The factory produces some 30,000 paper umbrellas annually and about 95 percent of them are exported to Japan. The rest are for the domestic market," Wu says. "The domestic orders are mainly from troupes or film crews who need paper umbrellas as props."
The wholesale price of an ordinary oil-paper umbrella is less than 100 yuan (US$16). But making a paper umbrella takes more than 70 steps and they are completely handmade. The only two machines at the Tengxin factory are used to process the wooden tips of umbrellas.
Generally, making a paper umbrella starts by chopping bamboo into spokes to produce the umbrella's skeleton. Machines can't be used because they make the bamboo cross section too rough.
A common umbrella requires 36 ribs while a 2-meter-tall large umbrella used at beaches needs 72 ribs. The skeleton should be boiled in water to make it mothproof. Black dye is added to the water to give it a black color.
Wood or bamboo shafts are added to the spokes and colorful cotton threads are used to fasten the top of the shaft with a stretcher and runner.
Covers are stuck onto the skeleton, which are either printed in other factories, or painted by workers. They typically feature dragons, tigers, Chinese characters, flowers, landscapes and other Asian themes and symbols.
And then workers will use black dye to color the cover where it joins the ribs so all umbrellas look black when closed.
After that, the tip of the umbrella will be wrapped with paper and it will be lacquered. The lacquer makes the umbrella waterproof and more durable.
To meet market demands, Wu has made some innovations over the years.
"Silk is also used as the cover, so the umbrella is lighter and nobler," he says. "We also make small decorative umbrellas, which are especially for the Japanese market."
"For practical umbrellas, we studied from Japan and designed two stoppers on the shaft, so people can adjust the size of umbrella," he adds.
Wu says he will never stop the business and will let his children carry on his work.
"Very few people in the country make paper umbrellas now, how can I give up?"
Currently, his one small wish is to enlarge the business so that he can give his workers a raise.
Many ancient cultures are facing the dilemma. According to China's Intangible Cultural Heritage website, there are hundreds of thousands of intangible cultural heritages in the country that need to be protected, just like paper umbrellas. Of these items, more than 1,200 items are national level.
In June, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law was passed in an effort to protect and develop shrinking cultures.
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