Across China: Oil-cloth umbrella, ancient craftsmanship takes on new life

Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-14 16:38:17|Editor: Chengcheng
Video PlayerClose

HEFEI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a bright colored oil-cloth apron, 50-year-old Zheng Guoming is carefully brushing tung oil on an umbrella cover. Around him are orange oil-cloth umbrellas drying, filling the area with the scent of tung oil.

"Tung oil is the key to the durability of oil-cloth umbrellas," Zheng said, adding that it is necessary to brush carefully and evenly to assure the umbrellas' glossiness.

Zheng is the manager of Guoming Oil-Cloth Umbrella Factory in Gufeng Village, Jing County, eastern China's Anhui Province. He is a sixth generation inheritor of the ancient umbrella-making craftsmanship that boasts a history of around 1,000 years.

With the canopy being made from cotton fabric covered by tung oil, oil-cloth umbrellas are more solid and durable than the oil-paper umbrellas, another kind of Chinese ancient umbrella.

The history of the oil-cloth umbrella in Jing County can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1276), and it flourished in Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

In the beginning, it was mainly used by the imperial family and was also used in rituals. For example, red oil-cloth umbrellas served as wedding items to ward off evil spirits. Later on, it gradually became popular among common people, according to Zheng.

"The umbrella has always been a part of my life," Zheng recalled. "It was so popular when I was a child that I needed to help my parents make the umbrella in my spare time." When Zheng was 19, he took over the umbrella factory.

The young factory manager was taken by surprise when people stopped using traditional umbrellas as modern and more portable foreign umbrellas swept over China in the 1980s.

"The oil-cloth umbrella was out of the market all of a sudden, and our annual demand slumped from 40,000 to just 10,000. Many umbrella factories went out of business rapidly," Zheng said. Until the early 1990s, Guoming Oil-Umbrella Factory was the only one in Jing County striving to survive.

Reform! With no other choice, Zheng did the only thing he could think of. He embarked on reforming the production management system to upgrade the quality of the products while lowering the price.

In order to improve durability, Zheng used bamboo that is 10 years old or older to make umbrella ribs and improved the tung oil recipe. "We have to lower the price to seize the market. The foreign umbrellas were sold at dozens of yuan each while our products were just five (74 U. S. cents) to six yuan then," Zheng said.

He also discovered a niche market brought by the emergence of self-employment after China's reform and opening up. The large oil-cloth umbrellas shielding pedlars from the sun or rain sold like hot cakes and were in short supply.

Thus, the oil-cloth umbrella earned back a spot in the market despite the prevailing modern umbrella. However, it's still far from its former glory. Accidentally, a discussion with a client led to a turnaround for Zheng's business. The client was willing to purchase oil-cloth umbrellas decorated with a traditional weaving technique called "chuan hua" (flower weaving) at a high price.

Chuan hua refers to crossing colorful cotton threads around the umbrella stretcher to weave exquisite flower patterns. This technique is so sophisticated and time-consuming that has been abandoned for a long time.

"It dawned on me that high-quality goods always have a market share," Zheng said. He began to restore the "chuan hua" technique and focus on making high-end oil-cloth umbrellas for interior decoration and as props in films and photo shoots.

Zheng made every effort to upgrade and innovate products, such as engraving patterns on umbrella handles and painting on the canopy.

He also customized oil-cloth umbrellas to meet individual requirements, making them popular not only in China but also overseas.

"Japanese and Korean clients prefer umbrellas with traditional Chinese cultural elements, such as Chinese ancient poetry, painting and calligraphy, while Dutch clients favor those made of eco-friendly fabric with bamboo handles. They just love it!" Zheng said.

Having finished an order of more than 2,000 environmentally-friendly oil-cloth umbrellas for a Dutch client, Zheng is now busy with another order from a Canadian who plans to pay a personal visit soon to learn more about the traditional Chinese oil-cloth umbrella culture.

Now, the annual export volume of his factory has reached 20,000, and the annual output has soared from 20,000 to 30,000 in the early 1990s to about 100,000 currently, among which high-end umbrellas account for 30 percent.

Photography has injected more vitality into this old craft. The wonderful combination of ancient factory buildings, professional craftsmen and ancient oil-cloth umbrellas makes the factory among the 100 "Best Photo Spots" in Xuancheng City, attracting more than 10,000 visitors every year.

Zheng plans to establish an umbrella photography base here.

Despite the promising situation, the passing years are constantly reminding Zheng of the inheritance dilemma. "It's difficult to attract young people into this career due to the long-term and high-intensity training. Apprentices need to learn for two to three years to master the whole processes," he said.

The production of tung oil can be another obstacle for them, in that it takes more than two hours to just make one bucket and it smells bad, he added.

Zheng hopes that he could open a study center for primary and middle school students in the future, so that children can have an access to this old craft and may have the interest to take it over.

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001378214201
乐发lv 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票