Guodong Yingyang Paper Umbrellas

Guodong Yingyang Paper Umbrellas

　　Yingyang Village in Guodong Town, Tengchong County, is an ancient settlement with over 100 households. Historically, this remote little village gained fame across western Yunnan and northern Myanmar for its paper umbrellas. Nearly every household in the village had a long tradition of making paper umbrellas, which were finely crafted, lightweight, durable, and affordably priced. They were widely sold throughout western Yunnan and into Myanmar, where they were quite well loved. As society has developed, the role of paper umbrellas as everyday tools has quietly faded, while their artistic and aesthetic value is being increasingly appreciated. A few master umbrella makers in Yingyang Village continue to uphold this ancient traditional craft. It is believed that Yingyang paper umbrellas will be cherished by more and more people.

　　 　　Holding a painted paper umbrella while admiring a volcanic lake or climbing the fairy-tale peaks of Yunfeng Mountain—just imagine how poetic that would be.