Chinese university sends bamboo admission letters

HANGZHOU, July 16 -- A university in east China's Zhejiang Province is in the spotlight for their admission letters made from bamboo.

According to Zhejiang A&F (agriculture and forestry) University, researchers at the school have developed technology to cut bamboo into ultrathin slips. The slips are pieced together and turned into soft, flexible paper after processing.

Miao Lujia, an official with the university, said the new material is easy to preserve and can help ease the shortage of wood.

"The bamboo-based paper is eco-friendly, considering the fast growth rate of bamboo. Hopefully the letters will not only impress the new students, but also heighten their sense of environmental protection," he said.

Besides, bamboo is a material with rich cultural connotation, since bamboo slips were used as a main writing material in ancient China, he added.