Dazu Bamboo Weaving

Dazu Bamboo Weaving

　　Dazu bamboo weaving boasts a long history, a wide variety of patterns, and exquisite craftsmanship, earning it the reputation as the “Hometown of Bamboo Weaving.”

　　　　The region has abundant bamboo resources. As early as the 16th year of the Chongzhen era in the Ming Dynasty (1643), a document submitted by Dazu regarding the “Lukou River Flood” included the phrase “a thousand homes with bamboo mats, yet no kitchens with cooking fires.” The term “mat” refers to bamboo mats, indicating that at the time, Dazu’s bamboo mats were already widely used by households. After the Xianfeng era in the Qing Dynasty, the bamboo weaving industry flourished, with products gradually reaching many cities and counties within the province as well as provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, and Guangdong. After the liberation, Dazu’s bamboo weaving saw significant development, with its sales expanding to provinces and regions including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Shaanxi, Anhui, Shanxi, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia.

　　　　Common bamboo woven products in Dazu County include, besides the bulk items such as green mats and yellow mats, sunning mats, winnowing mats, surrounding mats, pillow mats, bamboo baskets, bamboo bins, bamboo tables, bamboo chairs, bamboo beds, bamboo stools, bamboo baskets, bamboo bags, bamboo buttons, bamboo combs, bamboo curtains, bamboo rakes, bamboo cages, bamboo seals, bamboo covers, baskets, shoulder baskets, back baskets, double baskets, rice scoops, dustpans, winnowing baskets, pen holders, steamers, pot lids, shrimp rakes, bright covers, basket covers, and brush handles. Each product type also comes in multiple sizes and patterns. In 1959, skilled mat weavers from Sanchu such as Li Xugen and Wu Chengzhou wove exquisite patterned mats featuring designs like “Diaper Grid,” “Water Waves,” “Papaya Core,” “Rolling Embroidered Ball,” “Great Wall Scene,” as well as various calligraphy and paintings. These won the Sichuan Provincial Quality Award.

　　　　In recent years, the production and sales of bamboo weaving products have continued to grow. The development of tourism in Dazu has driven continuous innovation in bamboo weaving products. A variety of stylish patterned mats, pillowcases, curtain panels, door curtains, mosquito nets, painting screens, handbags, and briefcases feature clear, beautiful patterns, thin bamboo strips, fine texture, softness, foldability, and portability, making them highly popular with users. Some products exhibited at the Canton Fair received praise, while others were purchased as treasured items by both domestic and international tourists, showcasing the promising future of Dazu’s bamboo weaving industry.

　　 Dazu bamboo weaving has a long and rich cultural history. Through long-term innovation and development, the patterns and varieties of Dazu bamboo weaving have become increasingly diverse. The local weaving craftsmanship is highly refined, which is why Dazu County in Chongqing has earned the title of “Hometown of Bamboo Weaving.”

　　　　Among the commonly seen bamboo woven products in Dazu County, besides the well-known bulk green mats and yellow mats, there are also bamboo baskets, bamboo chairs, bamboo combs, bamboo curtains, sunning mats, bamboo bins, bamboo tables, winnowing mats, surrounding mats, pillow mats, bamboo rakes, bamboo cages, beds, bamboo stools, bamboo baskets, bamboo bags, bamboo buttons, bamboo seals, bamboo covers, baskets, shoulder baskets, back baskets, double baskets, rice scoops, dustpans, winnowing baskets, pen holders, steamers, pot lids, shrimp rakes, bright covers, basket covers, and brush handles. Each product type also comes in multiple sizes and patterns.

　　　　The town of Sanchu in Dazu, Chongqing, mainly hosts the largest wholesale market for handmade bamboo mats in western China. The local residents here make their living from this trade, and all the bamboo mats are entirely handwoven.

　　　　Made from locally abundant white bamboo, water bamboo, and porcelain bamboo, the mats undergo processes such as stripping the green layer, splitting the bamboo, preparing the strips, passing through an even knife, and undergoing physicochemical treatment before being meticulously woven. They are on average about 1 millimeter thick and less than 5 millimeters wide, suitable for folding and convenient to store.

　　　　The bamboo-strip cool mats offer advantages such as smoothness, softness, sweat absorption, heat dissipation, and a cool feel.

　　　　Dazu has abundant bamboo resources. As early as the 16th year of the Chongzhen era in the Ming Dynasty (1643), a document submitted by Dazu regarding the “Lukou River Flood” included the phrase “a thousand homes with bamboo mats, yet no kitchens with cooking fires.” The term “mat” refers to bamboo mats, indicating that at the time, Dazu’s bamboo mats were already widely used by households. After the Xianfeng era in the Qing Dynasty, the bamboo weaving industry flourished, with products gradually reaching many cities and counties within the province as well as provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, and Guangdong. After the liberation, Dazu’s bamboo weaving saw significant development, with its sales expanding to provinces and regions including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Shaanxi, Anhui, Shanxi, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia.

　　　　In 1959, skilled mat weavers from Sanchu such as Li Xugen and Wu Chengzhou wove exquisite patterned mats featuring designs like “Diaper Grid,” “Water Waves,” “Papaya Core,” “Rolling Embroidered Ball,” “Great Wall Scene,” as well as various calligraphy and paintings. These won the Sichuan Provincial Quality Award.

　　　　In recent years, the production and sales of bamboo weaving products have continued to grow. The development of tourism in Dazu has driven continuous innovation in bamboo weaving products. A variety of stylish patterned mats, pillowcases, curtain panels, door curtains, mosquito nets, painting screens, handbags, and briefcases feature clear, beautiful patterns, thin bamboo strips, fine texture, softness, foldability, and portability, making them highly popular with users. Some products exhibited at the Canton Fair received praise, while others were purchased as treasured items by both domestic and international tourists, showcasing the promising future of Dazu’s bamboo weaving industry.