Willow Weaving
01 · Historical Records
The history of Caoxian willow weaving runs parallel with the local cultivation of qi willow. Qi willow abounds within Caoxian County; its wands have thin bark and are flexible, white, solid, and strongly dye-absorbent, laying the material foundation for willow weaving. In the self-sufficient farming era, the people mostly wove baskets and dou measures to meet household needs, and carried any surplus to market to exchange for grain and vegetables, so willow weaving became an important sideline occupation of local households.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Qi willow abounds within Caoxian County; its wands have thin bark and are flexible, white, solid, and strongly dye-absorbent, thus laying a good foundation for the development of the willow weaving craft. The self-sufficient economic form of the farming era determined the traditional way of life of the people. The main varieties of Caoxian willow weaving are lightweight food baskets, vegetable baskets, fruit trays, wicker baskets, and winnowing fans, as well as baskets in animal shapes, along with distinctive flower baskets, gift boxes, wall hangings, and other artworks; the shapes are full of novelty, the color is bright white, and the decoration is simple and beautiful. Because the materials of willow weaving are renewable resources that are green and pollution-free, they are welcomed by people. With the development of the modern economy, traditional willow weaving materials are gradually being replaced by new materials such as glass and plastic, and the willow weaving craft is gradually fading from view, urgently in need of social protection and development.
The quality of the osier
Caoxian's osier is thin-skinned, supple, white and easily dyed, an ideal weaving material.
A village sideline
In Yuewu and Weizhuang villages nearly every household wove baskets from its own willows, selling the surplus at market.
The rule of father-to-son transmission
Caoxian weavers long passed the craft only from father to son; their wares range from food baskets to ornamental flower baskets.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Caoxian willow weaving craft is mainly distributed in Yuelou Village and Weizhuang Village of Niji Township and Guyingsji Town of Caoxian County, Shandong Province. For a long time, local people have drawn on local materials, with nearly every household making a living from willow weaving. Local people often use qi willow wands grown on their own land, weaving baskets and dou measures themselves or engaging artisans to do so, to meet household needs; sometimes they also take the woven baskets and other items to market to sell, exchanging them for grain, vegetables, and other daily necessities. As a typical representative of Caoxian folk art, the shapes and decoration of Caoxian willow weaving products largely reflect the aesthetic tendencies of the local people. The main varieties of Caoxian willow weaving are lightweight food baskets, vegetable baskets, fruit trays, wicker baskets, and winnowing fans, as well as baskets in animal shapes, along with distinctive flower baskets, gift boxes, wall hangings, and other artworks. In transmission it long adhered to the ancestral rule of "passing to men but not women," handed down from father to son; since the 20th century, some artisans have also begun to pass the craft to women in the family and to neighbors, and the shapes and decoration of their products largely reflect the aesthetic tendencies of the local people.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Willow weaving artisans have upheld the ancestral rule of "passing to men but not women," transmitting the craft from father to son down to the present day. With the large-scale replacement by new materials such as glass and plastic, the use of willow weaving in daily life has gradually declined and the craft is gradually fading from view; because qi willow is a renewable resource and its products are green and pollution-free, willow weaving still has market potential in the field of eco-friendly household goods and awaits further protection and development.
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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