Willow weaving (Huoqiu willow weaving)

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

Applicant: Huoqiu County, Anhui Province

Project No.: 831

Project No.: Ⅶ - 55

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Anhui Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Huoqiu County, Anhui Province

Protection unit: Huoqiu huaimeiqi Handicraft Co., Ltd

A brief introduction to Huoqiu's Willow weaving

Applicant: Huoqiu County, Anhui Province

Huoqiu willow weaving is mainly distributed in Linhuaigang Township, Linshui Town, Zhouji Town, chengxihu Township, songdian Township and Xindian town of Huoqiu County, Anhui Province. It is a folk art inherited by local people from generation to generation. Huoqiu County is located in the north foot of Dabie Mountain and the South Bank of Huaihe River. There are many depressions of beach, bay and lake inside and outside the Huaihe River Levee. It is the main raw material for weaving all kinds of handicrafts, which is growing the inexhaustible Qi Liu, reed, silver grass and other crops that are not afraid of drought and flood.

According to the records of Huoqiu County annals, the local willow weaving technology originated very early. It is said that it originated in the Zhou Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was the main sideline of local farmers. Willow products were once exported to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and other provinces and cities, and exported overseas. The popular doggerel in Huoqiu is "to weave a new house, a bride, a well-off life and a happy life", which truly reflects the benefits of weaving Qi and Liu for the masses along the Huaihe River.

Willow weaving process requires high technical skills. It needs to go through several processes, such as soaking, cutting, blanking, bottoming, twisting, arranging, closing and installation. There are more than 100 kinds of products, such as fence, dung basket, lifting basket, dustpan, packing box, carrying basket, hanging basket, laundry basket, hat basket, back chair, tea table, etc. Nowadays, the willow weaving technology has developed from the traditional monochrome weaving to dozens of weaving techniques, such as fine weaving, through flower weaving, over color weaving, dyeing weaving and mixed weaving (willow bamboo blending, willow hemp blending, willow wood blending, willow grass and wood blending). On the basis of the tradition, the unique willow weaving technology has gradually formed.