Ma’s Bamboo Pillow

Ma’s Bamboo Pillow

　　Ningde’s Ma’s Bamboo Pillow is one of the three traditional bamboo crafts in Ningde. It is square or rectangular in shape, soft and elastic, and features auspicious calligraphy and painting patterns woven from black and white bamboo strips, giving it an elegant appearance. Since its inception, it has enjoyed a prestigious reputation both at home and abroad. Shouning’s bamboo weaving is exquisitely crafted with superb artistry. The products include ornaments, utensils, figures, and depictions of animals and plants, which can be used as toys, household items, and souvenirs. Pingnan Bamboo Weaving Factory produces a variety of bamboo-woven products with novel designs, fine craftsmanship, and bright colors, making it one of the four major bamboo weaving craft export manufacturers in Fujian Province.

　　According to historical records: Ma’s Bamboo Pillow is made from yellow bamboo with culms over 50 cm long, around three years of growth, lightweight, and smooth, through meticulous processing and weaving. It is a traditional famous product of Ningde. It became well-known for being offered as a tribute. The craft was originally introduced from Shankyang area in Gutian over a hundred years ago, and was gradually refined by successive generations of artisans. It reached its peak in the second year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1910), employing more than 40 workers. By the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), production had dropped to just over 500 pillows, and continued to decline afterward. By the 31st year of the Republic of China, only two workshops remained: “Ma Renji” and “Ruan Zhongji.” In 1949, only “Ma Renji” remained, producing about 70 pillows a year. In 1985, a Arts and Crafts Factory was established, bringing together five technicians including descendants of the Ma and Ruan families—Ma Jinming and Ruan CanCan—along with ten apprentices to form a bamboo weaving workshop. However, due to unresolved issues regarding technical patent protection, the technicians were reluctant to teach their skills, affecting production development. On average, it took the 15 workers a whole day to make just one pillow, making production costs too high. Soon after, the workshop had to shut down due to losses, pushing the craft to the verge of extinction. After the 1980s, only a few individual descendants of the Ma family continued production on a small scale.