Bamboo weaving and bamboo insertion crafts

Bamboo weaving and bamboo insertion crafts

　　Xianyou bamboo insertion craft is an innovation based on the ancient art of bamboo weaving. Bamboo insertion handicrafts fall into six major categories including birdcages, lampshades, hand baskets, newspaper racks, bamboo carvings, and back scratchers, with over 120 varieties in total. Among them, there are more than 50 types of birdcages alone, coming in various shapes such as round, hexagonal, square, octagonal, and arched, as well as designs inspired by the Temple of Heaven, ancient houses, pavilions, and pagodas. The smallest are just five inches long, while the largest exceed one meter. The designs are all exquisitely crafted and uniquely charming. The birdcage known as the “Welcoming Spring Flower Pavilion Birdcage” is the finest of them all. This birdcage features a double-layered hexagonal pavilion structure, with each layer supported by six pillars. The upper layer is adorned with bamboo-carved floral and bird columns, while the lower layer features bamboo-carved coiled dragon columns. Both layers are fitted with hexagonal eaves, and the upper eaves are inlaid with six dragon grass ornaments, while the lower eaves are decorated with six curled-tail koi at the roof ridges. The bases of both layers are covered with intricate floral and bird patterns, and the center includes four steps and a hinged cage door, with a flying dragon cage hook at the top. The entire structure is rigorous, well-proportioned, and elegantly framed, resembling a grand pavilion. The “Welcoming Spring Flower Pavilion Birdcage” has been selected multiple times for exhibitions in Beijing and abroad. Most of the bamboo-carved figures are about 18 centimeters in size, drawing inspiration from the figure paintings of Mr. Li Geng and stories from “Dream of the Red Chamber,” such as “Bodhidharma,” “Tiger-Taming Arhat,” “Maitreya,” and “Guanyin,” all rendered with vivid expressions and lifelike detail. (Xianyou County)