Gaoliang Straw Craft in Jingxing Mining Area

Gaoliang Straw Craft in Jingxing Mining Area

The gaoliang straw craft in the Jingxing Mining Area is an intangible cultural heritage of Hebei Province.

　　The gaoliang straw craft is mainly distributed in the Jingxing Mining Area and originated in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. The artworks are made from gaoliang stalks grown by farmers in some rural areas around the mining zone. The creation process is entirely handmade, using a comprehensive set of techniques including “selecting, cutting, shaving, carving, engraving, fitting, and gluing.” The tools used in the making process include handmade knives, scissors, pliers, files, small electric saws (homemade), adhesives, etc. The finished pieces feature rigorous craftsmanship, unique shapes, lifelike images, and a simple, natural aesthetic, embodying distinct regional characteristics and folk artistry. The craft includes categories such as flowers, birds, insects, animals, ancient architecture, and portraits of people.

　　Among the straw weaving artists in the Jingxing Mining Area, folk artist Xu Yaode is particularly notable. In the 1930s, building on the work of his predecessors, Xu learned from veteran craftsmen how to create relatively simple items such as small lanterns, pomanders, and braided straw hats using fitted gaoliang stalks. Later, through continuous experimentation, he developed a series of works. His creations are remarkably lifelike, exquisitely crafted, and distinctly characterized, making them highly worthy of preservation. His representative work, “The Hundred Dragons Wall of China,” is 9 meters long and 3 meters high, using over 300,000 pieces of gaoliang stalks, skins, and more than 1 million individual steps. It took Xu and 12 apprentices and students over 10 months to complete. “The Hundred Dragons Wall” embodies the concept of “nine times nine returns to one,” featuring 99 dragons in diverse and vivid forms. When it was exhibited at the China Expo Culture City in Nandaihe in 1996, the then President of China visited and repeatedly praised the piece, shaking hands with the artist to offer encouragement and congratulations. “The New Look of the Dragon Gate” is another work that uses gaoliang stalks, skins, and a combination of carving, cutting, pasting, weaving, and fitting techniques. Completed in 14 months, the piece is divided into three connected sections: the upper level depicts the Heavenly Palace (an ancient structure), the middle level shows 26 small dragons spouting water and playing with a pearl in a lotus pond, and the lower level illustrates a giant dragon crossing the sea. In 1990, four pieces were donated for the Beijing Asian Games, including “The New Look of the Dragon Gate,” “Soaring,” and “The Universe Nine-Dragon Cup.” Other works include “Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix,” “Crowing Golden Rooster,” a six-panel screen, as well as portraits of Cao Xueqin and Lei Feng.

　　Since the skill is mainly passed down orally and through demonstration, its inheritance is challenging. Currently, the mining area has established a Straw Art Research Association to explore and preserve the production processes of the gaoliang straw craft and the artistic essence of some completed works.