Menba Wooden Bowls

Menba Wooden Bowls

　　Menba wooden bowls feature a structure composed of rounded curves, primarily in a bright orange-red hue, exuding vibrancy, elegance, and a rich variety of designs. The large-sized bowls are jar-shaped with lids, have a base about 1.5 cm thick and a diameter of approximately 13 cm. The belly of the jar is round and protruding, with a circular groove at the rim and an outward-flared lip. Despite their size, they are very lightweight; medium-sized bowls have a flat, round base and outward-extending walls, with a rim diameter of about 10–12 cm, making them commonly used; small-sized bowls have a tapered base and an outward-flared lip, with a rim diameter of about 5–6 cm, making them delicate and compact.

　　The areas where the Menba people live boast abundant bamboo and timber resources, and they are especially skilled in weaving techniques using bamboo strips and rattan. Products such as square bamboo boxes, bamboo hats, rattan baskets, and bamboo containers are sturdy, durable, and finely crafted. In particular, their traditional handicraft—wooden bowls—are uniquely distinctive and eye-catching, enjoying a high reputation not only in Tibet but also internationally.

　　There is an interesting legend about the origin of wooden bowls: long ago, people in the Tibetan region all used clay bowls. One day, a Menba carpenter went to the forest to cut wood and accidentally broke his clay bowl. The clever carpenter improvised by crafting a large wooden spoon. Later, people found the wooden spoon to be lightweight and durable, and gradually wooden bowls came into being and entered households.

　　 Wooden bowls are made from the trunks, knots, or gnarled parts of hardwood trees such as tung, mulberry, or birch. After being cut, scraped, and shaped, they become durable, resistant to deformation and fading, and not easily broken. When used to hold wine or butter tea, they even emit a unique fragrance. Finely crafted wooden bowls undergo five or six processing steps, resulting in clear grain patterns, uniform thickness, and then are coated with bright red dye, making them truly captivating. Mamaya Village, located at the northern end of Menyu, is renowned as the “Hometown of Wooden Bowls.”