Zhang Wanfu

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Zhang Wanfu, Male, Han, from Guan, Hebei, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Willow Weaving (Ⅶ-55). The tradition is documented in Guan, Hebei. Within the regional tradition and school record of Willow Weaving in Guan, Hebei: Gu'an willow weaving uses the qi willow growing everywhere on the alluvial plain of the two rivers within the county as its material; by the late Ming and early Qing, qi willow cultivation had expanded to more than 40,000 mu. Its products include willow chests, baskets, containers, sheng and dou measures, winnowing fans, and poluo baskets, with refined styles and sturdy durability; during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty they were sold far to the major commercial ports of Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, and Fengtian, and after the 1950s they turned to export, becoming one of the main categories of local folk craft. Gu'an is located in the northern part of the North China Plain, with sandy "mengjin" soil and abundant trees in the north; the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty once issued an edict that much "poluo willow" should be planted inside the embankments on both banks of the Yongding River, along the near-river dikes, and on the soft shoals — the original intent being flood prevention, but it supplied ample raw material for willow weaving and promoted the prosperity of the trade. Local weaving techniques emphasize evenly split strips, vertical warps, and tightly closed rims, and products are divided into four categories by use: serving vessels, containers, packaging, and ornamental objects. In recent years, the use of willow ware in daily life has dropped sharply; the once prominent Gu'an willow weaving is declining because handwork is time-consuming and substitutes have multiplied, and most practitioners are middle-aged or elderly, with few young people continuing to learn it. Gu'an willow weaving, with its long history, is said to have originated in the Song dynasty. According to the Gu'an County Gazetteer, in the Song dynasty the magistrate of Qi County in Henan was transferred to Gu'an; he transplanted qi willow to Gu'an and brought willow weaving craftsmen, who taught the willow weaving craft to the local people. Willow ware produced in Gu'an in the Ming dynasty was "made of qugui willow, such as sheng and dou measures, winnowing fans, and kaolao baskets" (Jiajing edition of the Gu'an County Gazetteer, Ming dynasty). After the 1950s, Gu'an willow weaving began to be exported abroad.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Zhang Wanfu is anchored in the documented technical standards of Willow Weaving in Guan, Hebei. Within the documented technical tradition of Willow Weaving in Guan, Hebei: Gu'an willow weaving is one of the main categories of folk craft in Gu'an County, Hebei Province. Gu'an County is located in the northern part of the North China Plain; most of the county is alluvial plain formed by two rivers, while the north is sandy "mengjin" soil with abundant trees and qi willow growing everywhere. By the late Ming and early Qing, qi willow cultivation had already expanded to more than 40,000 mu. In the Qing dynasty, the Qianlong Emperor issued an edict that along the Yongding River "on both banks, inside the embankments, along the near-river dikes, and on the soft shoals, much poluo willow should be planted"; although his intent was to prevent flooding, it also supplied raw material for the willow weaving craft and promoted the development of the local willow weaving industry. During the Guangxu reign, Gu'an willow weaving became even more prevalent and its markets flourished. Willow chests, baskets, containers, sheng and dou measures, winnowing fans, poluo baskets, and other products woven by the people were finely crafted, elegant in style, and sturdy and durable, and were sold far to the major commercial ports of Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, and Fengtian (present-day Shenyang). Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Transplanting the osier willows": County records say a magistrate transferred from Qixian brought osier willows and weavers to Gu'an in the Song dynasty. "The Qianlong edict on planting willows": An imperial edict ordered basket willows planted along the Yongding river banks, incidentally supplying the weaving trade. "Sold to Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou and Fengtian": In the Guangxu period Gu'an willow goods were sold to the great ports of Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou and Fengtian.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Zhang Wanfu was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Willow Weaving, with Guan, Hebei as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Willow Weaving in Guan, Hebei: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2011 (batch 3), with Guan, Hebei as its declared area, and Guan County Wen WuHe Intangible Cultural Heritage Institute (Guan County Museum) as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Zhangwanfu (Guan, Hebei) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Zhangwanfu · China ICH Official Archive