The Study Of Hunan Bamboo Craft

Hunan Province is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, being a major bamboo production area in China. History has witnessed in succession the emergence of such exquisite bamboo crafts as woven bamboo utensils of Yiyang City and carved bamboo articles of Shaoyang City in this region. This thesis, with bamboo weaving and bamboo carving of Hunan as its research subjects, investigates the historical development of Hunan bamboo craft, its technical skills and artistic features.Bamboo crafts boast both practical and aesthetic functions. They not only manifest the production force of mankind, but embody their cultural uniqueness and aesthetic pursuit. Hunan, given its geographical location and weather conditions, is suitable for the growth of bamboos, which provides abundant raw materials for the development of bamboo craft in this region. Since the ancient times, bamboo has been closely related to people’s daily life here. Such close ties find their manifestions in such legend as Concubine Xiang Bamboo and such phenomena of bamboo worship as Sacrifice to Bamboo King and Bamboo Companion.With the historical development, the Hunan bamboo craft, represented by Yiyang Bamboo Weaving and Shaoyang Bamboo Carving, has gradually taken shape. In the light of artistic carrier and means of expression, bamboo craft is categorized into bamboo weaving and bamboo carving. Given its humane and geographical environment, Hunan has given birth to such practical regional forms of bamboo weaving craft as Yiyang Bamboo Weaving and Xiangxi Bamboo Weaving with strong local traditional flavor. While the bamboo carving craft of Hunan, represented by Shaoyang Bamboo Carving and Xiangxi Armchair Bamboo Carving, have found its way into various fine and elegant carved bamboo handicrafts featuring rich subjects, unique carving techniques and profound aesthetic interests, which have been made through innovation based on the previous craftmanship.Hunan bamboo craft is characteristic of blending traditional thoughts such as Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism with the local Hunan culture, thus claiming rich artistic value and profound cultural flavor. Its development has constantly contributed to the development of the bamboo craft in China, enriched the artistic carriers and means of expression of the bamboo craft in China, and increased the influence of Chinese bamboo craft in the world. Just like Chinese porcelain and silk, it has become one of the most significant signals of the Chinese culture.