Reed and reed grass handicrafts from Hengshui Lake

Reed and reed grass handicrafts from Hengshui Lake

　　Utilizing straw to create craft paintings has historical records dating back to the Sui Dynasty. The Hengshui Lake Management Committee, by drawing on and exploring ancient folk crafts and leveraging modern technology, has innovated and brought new vibrancy to the art of reed grass crafting. The craft paintings, made from locally abundant reeds, cattails, and straw through processes such as material selection, ironing, sheeting, pyrography, cutting, trimming, weaving, carving, and collage, can depict a variety of subjects including flowers, birds, fish, insects, calligraphy and paintings of figures, as well as landscapes. The artworks feature both the natural sheen and texture of the reeds and the fine, lifelike detail of meticulous brushwork, creating a unique artistic effect. Known as green handicrafts, they are a top choice for home, hotel, and office decoration, as well as ideal gifts for family and friends or collectible treasures. The products sell well domestically and are exported to countries and regions including the United States and Western Europe.

　　 The Hengshui Lake National Nature Reserve boasts a beautiful environment, teeming with birds and vast expanses of reeds and cattails—a place of outstanding natural beauty and cultural richness. Visitors from both China and abroad who come to tour the reserve often take reed grass craft paintings home as souvenirs, helping to spread the fame of Hengshui Lake reed grass craft paintings far and wide.