Willow Weaving
01 · Historical Records
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 · Core Techniques & Process
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).
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 · Regional Records & Related Items
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.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
In recent years, as willow woven products have become increasingly scarce in people's daily lives, Gu'an willow weaving — once a prominent industry in history — has faced enormous challenges, and the willow weaving enterprise shows a state of decline.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Wang Wenzhong 04-1796
- Jiang Chaochun 05-2655
- Pan Tongli 05-2656
- Yang Jinbang
- Zhang Wanfu
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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