Bamboo Silk Weaving: The Millennium Heritage and Ingenuity of Bamboo Weaving

Bamboo weaving consists of three main stages: material preparation, weaving, and finishing.

Material preparation is fundamental, requiring the bamboo to be processed into suitable strips. First, bundles of bamboo (200 pieces per bundle) are placed in a courtyard to dry in the sun. After drying, they are soaked in rainwater and then exposed to the sun again before being stored for future use. When using, take a handful of bamboo, scrape off the bamboo joints and bamboo hair, split it in half, and soak it in river water or a grinding canal for two days and two nights. Once the bamboo becomes soft and flexible, it is split into evenly thin strips using a bamboo knife. After scraping, it is ready for weaving.

The weaving stage is the core of the craft, requiring the strips to be woven into a variety of products. The weaving method primarily uses the warp and weft method, interspersed with techniques such as loose weaving, inserting, threading, shaving, locking, pinning, tying, and looping, creating a myriad of patterns and colors. For colorful products, dyed bamboo strips or strands can be interwoven to create vibrant, contrasting patterns. When weaving a backpack, wide bamboo strips (rein) are first used to form the base, followed by thinner bamboo strips (strips). The top and neck are formed at two inches, the second at five inches, and the third at one foot.

Finishing is the finishing touch that makes the product more beautiful and durable. When the backpack is woven to a certain height, the edges need to be locked: the small backpack is locked at a height of one foot and five inches, the medium backpack is locked at a height of one foot and six inches, and the large backpack is locked at a height of two feet. After locking the edges, the basket is lasted with a stick to straighten the mouth and create a beautiful shape. Strips of split young bamboo are then wrapped around the edges three times, refining and reinforcing the locked edges while ensuring a comfortable and non-snagging edge. Finally, two back ties are added to the front of the backpack where the straps are tied, and four back ties are added to further enhance its strength.

As the folk song goes, "The warp and weft of fine bamboo strips are woven immediately, and the bottom of the basket is easy to start but difficult to close." This craft, which has been passed down for thousands of years, has become a vivid footnote to the spirit of the Chinese nation with its unique skills and profound cultural heritage, and its irreplaceable value has become increasingly evident with the passage of time.