Bamboo weaving innovatively inherited in SW China's Sichuan

In less than two minutes, a lifelike bamboo-woven fish "swims" into existence at the hands of Chen Yunhua, a local bamboo weaving master, drawing exclamations of admiration from international media present at the International Bamboo Art Museum located in Qingshen county, Meishan city, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Chen Yunhua, an inheritor of Qingshen bamboo weaving, a national intangible cultural heritage, instructs a foreign media worker on bamboo weaving at the International Bamboo Art Museum in Qingshen county, Meishan city, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhao Zule)

Qingshen county is known as the "Hometown of bamboo weaving in China". Qingshen bamboo weaving, with a history spanning over 3,000 years, is famous for its exquisiteness, intricacy, uniqueness, and excellence.

Today, Qingshen bamboo weaving has evolved into a product system comprising 25 categories and over 3,000 varieties, including flat and three-dimensional weaving, as well as bamboo weaving with porcelain wares. The products are exported to more than 50 countries and regions worldwide.

Many countries have abundant bamboo resources but do not fully utilize them. Negasi Ambaye Abay, deputy CEO of the Ethiopian News Agency, felt this deeply, explaining that his country also has many bamboo trees, but no one transforms them into daily necessities or art pieces, nor has a complete industrial chain been established. He was greatly inspired by the visit to Qingshen.

Photo shows a work that integrates porcelain with bamboo weaving. (Photo/Xu Peng)

Common bamboo weaving patterns include herringbone, cross, hexagonal, spiral, and twisted wire weaves. Master craftsman Zhang Deming from Qingshen took these techniques a step further by blending bamboo weaving with porcelain wares to craft sophisticated and refined works. This innovative approach has opened doors to partnerships with top fashion brands worldwide, enhancing the global reputation of Qingshen bamboo weaving.

To better promote bamboo weaving techniques and culture, Zhang developed a bamboo weaving kit for beginners. The kit includes two porcelain bodies, bamboo strips, and basic weaving tutorials.

"With the 'bamboo weaving kit', people from any country or region can experience the charm of bamboo weaving. This provides us with more space and possibilities for innovation in bamboo weaving techniques," Zhang explained.

Zhang Deming, a crafts and arts master, displays bamboo weaving techniques to foreign friends. (Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Communist Party of China Meishan municipal committee)

With years of experience as a teacher, Zhang hopes more people will create happiness and experience the same feelings he does through learning bamboo weaving skills. "We are not only weaving with our hands; we are weaving with our hearts. We are not just making works of art; we are weaving 'happiness'," says Zhang.

In recent years, Qingshen county has strengthened partnerships with bamboo-rich regions abroad, setting up intangible cultural heritage exchange centers and overseas bamboo art training centers in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries and regions. These centers have trained over 10,000 individuals from more than 30 countries and regions, helping local communities weave their paths to happiness with bamboo.