Bamboo weaver is out of this world

Xie Hongxing spent 46 days trying to replicate, in minute detail, a spacecraft, the very epitome of modern engineering. His feat of craftsmanship was all the more extraordinary when you realize that the material he was using was bamboo. The exquisite miniature version of the orbiting Tiangong space station, crafted by weaving the natural material, was his own way of celebrating the country's ambitious space program.

"It's a combination of tradition and modernity — a new way to promote the intangible cultural heritage," says Xie, 39, from Wuyishan city, East China's Fujian province.

Xie was born and raised around Wuyi Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that borders Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. He used more than a dozen species of local bamboo to demonstrate the aesthetics of the space station and carefully wove the small solar wings with three different types.

It took him seven hours to figure out how to weave a small national flag of China, with dyed bamboo strips.

"It's difficult to work out how to make a perfect five-star flag. Like knitting a sweater, I used very thin bamboo strips of two colors, wove them together with a tool and stretched them tightly to make the pattern of the stars," says Xie, who finally finished the task at 4 am.

He gained about five kilograms in weight because he had to sit all day to work on the complicated handicraft, ranging from making drawings to formulating the overall weaving plan.

He also posted the bamboo weaving process on popular short video platform Douyin, where he has in excess of 27,000 followers. The topic drew several million views on micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo, and people online expressed their amazement at the exquisite workmanship. A local TV channel reported the news and commented that "it's a real inheritance and of great significance".

Since March, Xie's 22-year-old niece has helped him to make short videos to record him employing various weaving techniques in accordance with the characteristics of different bamboo types.

The short videos are set against the background of stunning rural scenery. He cuts a length of bamboo shaft, removes its green skin with a sharp knife, and carefully cuts some pliable thin strips of the same length and width. He processes the strips to make them durable, first by boiling them and then allowing them to dry in the shade.

He's quite a dab hand and is adept at turning "waste" into treasure. He also shared how to make a delicate tea tray in the shape of a boat from an old piece of bamboo, as well as how to repair a shabby desk in an artistic way.

"In the mobile internet era, everyone can have a leading role in short videos. People from all walks of life, including craftspeople, have the chance to showcase their talent. It's also a channel to meet those who share similar interests, as well as to cultivate potential customers," he says.

According to Xie, it's a good platform to promote such traditional craftsmanship among young people, the main consumers of short videos.

Xie believes it's important to lay a foundation by mastering the traditional bamboo weaving technique.

"The master may teach, but progress is up to the hard work of the individual. Bamboo weaving is like composing a piece of writing — you should meditate at first. The most difficult part is innovation, and you need imagination to achieve that," he says.

"Creative and appealing handicrafts are paramount in modern times. For example, youngsters are more likely to be interested in a mobile phone case made of bamboo strips, rather than a traditional basket."

He says that some old items are destined to be obsolete, but craftspeople can change the designs to create art. He often creates novel handicrafts as well. He's now working on a bamboo miniature of China's third aircraft carrier, the CNS Fujian.

At his studio in Wuyi Mountain scenic area, visitors can learn how to make earrings, bracelets, or bags from bamboo, as well as buy some innovative handicrafts.

Xie studied crafts and fine arts at a local occupational middle school and learned bamboo carving for more than a year after graduating in 2003.

"I found that bamboo weaving is all-embracing, meaning that, with an infinite imagination, you can make anything. So, I decided to study this handicraft," he says.

In 2006, he started to learn bamboo weaving from a senior master living in a remote area of Sichuan province. As his parents didn't support him, he packed a case and ran away from home, taking a train on his first long-distance journey.

"I dared not contact my parents during festivals. I was depressed in what to me was a strange place, and urged myself to study hard," he recalls.

He got up at 6 am and went to sleep at midnight and rarely had a break before finishing his one-year apprenticeship.

After years of hard work, in February, Xie fulfilled his wish, getting bamboo weaving of Wuyi Mountain recognized as a provincial intangible cultural heritage — first, he had to apply to the county and then city-level authorities, based on his achievement and influence in the field.

He wants to revive the bamboo weaving of Wuyi Mountain and the region's fame as "the home of bamboo". He believes that such a title can better promote the craft.

"The great reputation of Wuyi Mountain's tea overshadows its bamboo weaving tradition, which used to be popular when I was a child. As the tea industry began to thrive, some craftspeople changed their career," he says.

He recalls that the local bamboo weaving products used to be exported abroad, especially to Japan and South Korea. Back then, many articles of everyday use were made from bamboo. These have now mostly been replaced by plastic.

Every year, he joins activities and contests to communicate with other bamboo weavers from across the country, including his master, to pool ideas and information to promote the art form.

Like other inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, Xie finds that it's not easy to pass on the craft, but he's trying his best.

"You have to endure lots of hardship before achieving success. As an apprentice, it takes one or two years before you can make money. You may be tempted to change career to make quick cash," he says.

He teaches those with physical challenges free of charge. As well as online classes, he also teaches optional courses at the local Wuyi University to cultivate student interest in the craftsmanship.