Willow weaving (Gu'an willow weaving)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Liubian (Gu'an Liubian)

Applicant: Gu'an County, Hebei Province

Project No.: 831

Project No.: Ⅶ - 55

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Hebei Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Gu'an County, Hebei Province

Protected by: Gu'an Cultural Center

Introduction to willow weaving (Gu'an willow weaving)

Applicant: Gu'an County, Hebei Province

Gu'an willow weaving is one of the main categories of folk crafts in Gu'an County, Hebei Province.

Gu'an willow weaving, with a long history, is said to have originated in the Song Dynasty. According to the annals of Gu'an County, the magistrate of Qi County in Henan Province was transferred to Gu'an in Song Dynasty. He transplanted Qi Liu to Gu'an and brought willow weaving technicians to teach the local people willow weaving technology. In the Ming Dynasty, Gu'an wrote "Liuqi, qukui liusuo, such as Sheng, Dou, Boji, Castanopsis and so on" (Gu'an County annals by Jiajing of Ming Dynasty).

Gu'an County is located in the northern part of North China Plain. The county is mostly alluvial plain of two rivers. The northern part is sandy land with many trees and willows. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, the planting area of Salix was more than 40000 mu. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty once ordered that there should be many kinds of willows in the dykes on both sides of the Yongding River, on the dykes near the river and on the soft beach. Although it was intended to prevent water hazards, it also provided raw materials for the willow weaving process and promoted the development of the local willow weaving industry. During the reign of Guangxu, Gu'an willow weaving became more popular and the market was extremely prosperous. The folk woven willow boxes, baskets, baskets, Sheng, Dou, dustpan, Luo and other products are exquisite in technology, elegant in style, strong and durable, and are exported to Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou and Fengzhu commercial ports. Since 1950s, Gu'an willow weaving began to export to foreign countries.

In recent years, due to the decrease of willow products in people's daily life, Gu'an willow industry, which once became a prominent industry in history, has encountered great challenges, and the willow industry has shown a declining state.