novelaction Chapter 245: Bamboo Weaving Old Man
Chapter 245: Bamboo Weaving Old Man
The old man sat under the eaves, with bundles of processed bamboo strips at his feet.
He was very old and moved very slowly, and his hands were shaking as he was weaving the bamboo baskets.
But what is surprising is that although his hands were shaking, the bamboo baskets he wove were straight, very neat and beautiful.
This bamboo weaving product requires great skill from the maker.
my country's traditional bamboo weaving handicrafts are actually divided into two categories: fine-wire bamboo weaving handicrafts and coarse-wire bamboo weaving handicrafts.
The so-called fine-filament bamboo weaving craft, also known as "porcelain-based bamboo weaving craft", is mainly popular in Sichuan and is known for its fineness.
The porcelain-based bamboo handicrafts made with this technique have bamboo silk of uniform thickness, which adheres closely to the porcelain surface, with the joints hidden and not exposed, giving it a natural look.
This craft originated in the middle of the Qing Dynasty and was mainly popular in Chengdu, Sichuan. Most of the products produced were tributes to the royal family.
During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, there was a famous bamboo weaving artist in Chengdu named Zhang Guozheng, who once served as an instructor in the fine bamboo weaving department of the Chengdu Industrial Promotion Bureau.
The complete set of bamboo tableware tribute he woven won the fifth-rank military merit award of the Qing Dynasty.
The porcelain-based bamboo tableware and bamboo silk tents he woven were even exhibited in the Panama World Exposition, where he won the silver medal.
The coarse-silk bamboo weaving craft is widely distributed, and the more famous ones include Dongyang bamboo weaving, Minxi bamboo weaving, Sansui bamboo weaving, etc.
Common coarse silk bamboo weaving handicrafts include bamboo mats, pillows, baskets, cradles, etc. They are highly practical and are usually used as various daily necessities.
What this old man is demonstrating is the coarse silk bamboo weaving craft.
The coarse silk bamboo weaving process is also very complicated, mainly divided into three stages: material processing, weaving and finishing.
Material processing is to process bamboo into strips.
It is not easy to make bamboo strips. It requires more than a dozen processes including splitting the bamboo, roasting, removing the knots, layering, fixing the color, scraping, scoring, and pulling. All are done manually to produce fine bamboo strips.
If you want your woven work to be exquisite, the thinner the bamboo silk, the better.
During this process, the bamboos need to be placed in the yard in bundles to be exposed to the sun. After drying, they need to be exposed to the rain, exposed to the sun again, and then stored.
When using, take a handful of bamboo and first scrape off the bamboo nodes and bamboo hair, then split it in two, and then soak it in the river or grinding canal for two days and two nights. After the bamboo becomes soft, take it out. At this time, the flexibility of the bamboo is greatly improved and it is suitable for processing into strips.
There are now many ready-made bamboo strips under the old man's feet. What he is doing is the second step of bamboo weaving, weaving.
Weaving is the process of using bamboo strips to make various products, which is a test of the craftsman's skills.
Gu Chang observed the old man for a while and saw that his knitting technique was skillful and concise, and his knitting speed was very fast.
Gu Chang has seen many people weaving bamboo products. This old man and Uncle Wang are the ones with the most sophisticated skills he has ever seen!
At this time, the old man's bamboo basket has entered the final stage!
Finishing is an indispensable auxiliary supplementary process, the purpose of which is to make the bamboo weaving products more beautiful, refined, smooth and durable.
There used to be a folk song that specifically describes the process of bamboo weaving: "When I was young, my family was short of money, so I picked up a bamboo knife and cut the bamboo. The bamboo broke with a few bangs, and my slender hands peeled the bamboo strips like turning the pages of a book. Then I wove the warp and weft of the fine bamboo strips, and it was easy to start but hard to close the bottom of the basket."
It is easy to start but difficult to close the bottom of the basket. This finishing work is actually not easy.
This old man is obviously very experienced. He has made detailed and reinforced treatments on the mouth of the backpack so that it is comfortable to hold in the hand, not prickly, and is sturdy and durable.
At this point, the bamboo weaving product is completed!
Qi Tianming, who was watching from the side, was amazed!
This was the first time he saw the processing of bamboo weaving products, and he couldn't help but admire it.
Although this old man is very old and his hands are shaking, his skills have almost reached perfection.
In his hands, these bamboo strips are like elves, combined into a beautiful work!
Gu Guoqing also nodded in appreciation and said: "This old man's craftsmanship is just like Uncle Wang's, it can be said to have reached the pinnacle!"
At this moment, Gu Chang's eyes sparkled. If there were a few bamboo weaving craftsmen like this in Zhumao Village, then there would be great hope for developing bamboo weaving products!