උණබම්බුව මෙල්ල කරමින් අතීතය, අනාගතයට ඉතිරි කරන දෑත්

Bamboo weaving master takes on artistic challenge of lifetime

Pursuing a unique path and tailoring approaches according to the changing times, He Fuli, a representative inheritor of Dongyang Bamboo Weaving, has succeeded in passing on a priceless intangible cultural heritage for future generations to enjoy.

For countless years, Dongyang in east China's Zhejiang Province has been dubbed the "home of a hundred crafts". Among these is the exquisite handicraft of bamboo weaving.

Thanks to a combination of painstaking workmanship, unremitting ingenuity, and enthusiasm for constant innovation, woven bamboo artworks from Dongyang are famed worldwide for the intricacy of the techniques deployed in their creation and their distinctive designs.

"Before making a Fanhuang bamboo carving, the first task is to select bamboo with a smooth inner surface. Then, after cutting, polish the bamboo even more," He said.

He Fuli has been weaving bamboo for over 60 years. He still works hard at this craft every day despite being in his eighties!

"I started learning bamboo weaving in May 1958 in a township under the jurisdiction of Dongyang. After half a year of learning, I became an apprentice in December 1958," he said.

Over 60 years of dedication to bamboo weaving have transformed He Fuli from a novice craftsman into a national-level bamboo weaving master.

In 2004, He Fuli met the challenge of his career - restoring the bamboo masterpieces collected at Juanqinzhai in the Palace Museum in Beijing.

"The Palace Museum is a world cultural heritage site. During my first visit, I was amazed by the Fanhuang bamboo carving, bamboo marquetry, and other intricate crafts. It seemed very challenging to make them," he said.

But over time, these intricately patterned bamboo masterpieces, made from carefully selected materials, had begun tearing and deforming to such an extent that even inner layers had become exposed. Only the country's top bamboo weaving craftsmen would be able to address these issues.

"The Palace Museum set three tasks: gluing, Fanhuang bamboo carving, and bamboo marquetry. This piece of Fanhuang bamboo carving does not meet the grade - to qualify it needs to be translucent. This piece is too thick: to achieve translucency, the work must be as thin as writing paper," He said.

Thanks to his perseverance and years of hard-won experience, He deployed an array of nearly lost techniques such as Fanhuang bamboo carving and bamboo marquetry to restore these priceless woven bamboo treasures to their former glory.

"We used to heat bamboo layers with fire. For example, I would heat a piece with fire and then roll it up like this. Now, we no longer use this method. Instead, we boil it in a pot, which will then roll it over. This method is faster and more effective. It's our innovation," he said.

• Tags:
• feature