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Young and old find creativity in traditional bamboo craft
May 17, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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BAMBOO weaving, a traditional folk art in the town of Xiaokunshan, draws in both old and young fingers.
Sheng Genmei, 70, a resident of the Yukun neighborhood, waves her arm across the interior of her home. It's almost devoid of anything plastic. "They are all bamboo woven, beautiful and sturdy," she said of her household articles.
She has woven baskets for shopping, boxes to store eggs and shelves to dry and salt vegetables. "It's a small hobby among us," she said of her community.
On sunny days, elderly people often sit together to weave, their fingers nimbly manipulating the bamboo strips.
"These strips cost 0.8 yuan per 500 grams when I was young, but now they are more expensive," Sheng said. "But they are softer and easier to weave. Each strip is carefully selected to be the same thickness, thus making a good basket."
There are dozens of weavers like Sheng in the town. Last December, they set up a hobby group in the cultural center and invited anyone interested in this ancient folk art to attend.
The bamboo group has made a variety of articles, such as birdcages and bamboo hats, to be auctioned at charity events.
A new generation is learning the old art.
With the help of Zhang Zhifang, a teacher at Xiaokunshan Primary School, bamboo weaving is now taught in a weekly class. Students have also planted bamboo trees in the school garden.
"Children in lower grades weave paper strips instead of bamboo to avoid accidents, but the techniques are the same," Zhang said. "Bamboo weaving is our town tradition. We want our youth to carry it forward."
Sheng Genmei, 70, a resident of the Yukun neighborhood, waves her arm across the interior of her home. It's almost devoid of anything plastic. "They are all bamboo woven, beautiful and sturdy," she said of her household articles.
She has woven baskets for shopping, boxes to store eggs and shelves to dry and salt vegetables. "It's a small hobby among us," she said of her community.
On sunny days, elderly people often sit together to weave, their fingers nimbly manipulating the bamboo strips.
"These strips cost 0.8 yuan per 500 grams when I was young, but now they are more expensive," Sheng said. "But they are softer and easier to weave. Each strip is carefully selected to be the same thickness, thus making a good basket."
There are dozens of weavers like Sheng in the town. Last December, they set up a hobby group in the cultural center and invited anyone interested in this ancient folk art to attend.
The bamboo group has made a variety of articles, such as birdcages and bamboo hats, to be auctioned at charity events.
A new generation is learning the old art.
With the help of Zhang Zhifang, a teacher at Xiaokunshan Primary School, bamboo weaving is now taught in a weekly class. Students have also planted bamboo trees in the school garden.
"Children in lower grades weave paper strips instead of bamboo to avoid accidents, but the techniques are the same," Zhang said. "Bamboo weaving is our town tradition. We want our youth to carry it forward."
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