Basic Introduction to Qingshen Bamboo Weaving
Qingshen bamboo weaving is a traditional Han Chinese handicraft from Qingshen County, Sichuan Province. The craft has a long history and superb techniques, and the products range from daily and production tools made of bamboo to bamboo weavings that have reached a high level of artistic quality.
Product Features
Bamboo used is one-year-old premium Moso bamboo grown within the protected area, with the entire stalk having a consistent color, free of scars and spots, with fine texture and intermediate nodes between 45cm and 80cm. Sensory characteristics: geometric patterns are complete, without mold, woven patterns are clear and lifelike, with harmonious colors, not prone to fading, strong three-dimensional effect, the entire product is uniformly thick, the strips run smoothly, woven tightly, no pushing or crowding, no visible joints, smooth to the touch, without splinters, edges are neat and rounded, no skipped or missed stitches, when unfolded the surface is flat, does not curl or warp, corners are naturally straight, and can recover its original shape when rolled up, conforming to specified shapes.
Historical Folklore
The history of Qingshen bamboo weaving is long and enduring. According to “The Homeland of Cancong”, “As early as more than 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic Age, ancestors were active here.” At that time, the ancestors of Qingshen County began using bamboo weaving for silkworm rearing and bamboo ware for daily use. Historical records show that during the Tang Dynasty, between 827-835 (the Taihe period of Emperor Wenzong), Zhang Wu from Rong County led over a hundred households to Qingshen to weave bamboo baskets for the Honghua Weir, excavate mountains and open channels to irrigate farmland. Locally, Han Chinese folk practices included splitting bamboo into strips (slices) to weave mats for drying things, weaving sieves for silkworm rearing, baskets for carrying items, and fans for cooling, which had become widespread, and the market for bamboo products began to form.
Manufacturing Method
Production Process: The process follows selecting bamboo, cutting, trimming, removing knots, scraping, leveling, dividing into sections, splitting into layers, splitting into strips, three-prevention treatment, dyeing, splitting into fibers, and weaving.
Awards and Honors for Qingshen Bamboo Weaving
The county has been named “China's Bamboo Weaving Art Hometown” and “International Bamboo Handicraft Training Base”. Its craft is listed in China's national intangible cultural heritage protection list and China's national geographical indication protection products, and was exhibited at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Qingshen bamboo weaving innovatively integrates artistry, ornamental value, and practicality, representing a perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship, bamboo strip characteristics, and cultural aesthetics. It has formed a vast product system consisting of three major categories—flat bamboo weaving, three-dimensional bamboo weaving, and bamboo weaving combined with painting—with 3,000 varieties. In 2000, Qingshen County was designated by the National Ministry of Culture as “China's Bamboo Weaving Art Hometown”. In 2002, the China Bamboo Arts City located in Nancheng Town, Qingshen County, was designated by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization as the “International Bamboo Handicraft Training Base”. In 2008, “Qingshen Bamboo Weaving” was listed in the national intangible cultural heritage protection list and entered the Beijing Olympics. It was also exhibited at the Shanghai World Expo in 2010. In 2007, “The Great Wall Map” won the only gold medal at the bamboo industry expo hosted by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization; “The Mystic Panda Map” and “The Autumn Colors of Quhua” each won a “Gold Medal of the National Forestry Exposition.”