Craftsmen strive to protect cultural heritage

Amid rapid modernization, some forms of folk craft that used to be a part of local life in Zhangjiagang are on the verge of extinction.

However, with the support of the government, a number of artists are doing their best to preserve and pass down the cultural heritage.

Feng Taigen, 68, is an inheritor of the art of making banyao whistling kites in Leyu town, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province. Whistling kites are listed as provincial intangible cultural heritage items.

There are many different varieties of kites in China, such as hard-wing kites in the shapes of swallows and eagles; soft-wing kites in the shapes of butterflies, dragonflies and fish; and hard-board kites like the banyao whistling kites.

The banyao is a large, flat, whistling kite with a hexagonal frame adorned with exquisite decorations and vibrant colors.

Feng started to make the kites when he was a child. His home is filled with many finished and unfinished kites of different sizes.

"The banyao is different from other kites; it's more exquisite and elegant," Feng said. "The highlight of whistling kites is that they produce different sounds, like playing a concert as they dance among the clouds."

It usually takes Feng more than 10 days to make a single banyao kite. The process, which requires a high degree of expertise, includes five basic steps - sizing, framing, covering, painting and flying.

The first task is to decide the size of the kite, after which the frame is fashioned out of bamboo strips. Each bamboo batten should have the same width and thickness. After the bamboo frame is constructed, the kite is covered with nylon fabric featuring images of immortals or folk tale figures.

The whistles are made from dried gourds with a slit carved into the top. After receiving a coat of paint or gloss, they are lashed to the bamboo frame at the front of the kite. Each kite has dozens or even hundreds of whistles. Feng can make up to eight whistles each day.

Most kites are flown by individual people. However, due to the large size of a banyao kite - usually 2 to 3 meters in diameter - it can often require four strong men to fly one kite and handle the strings and they can only be flown in strong winds.

The bright colors and whistles represent aspirations and expectations for a happy life. Many Chinese consider it beneficial to one's health to fly kites in spring as it allows the fliers to enjoy sunshine, fresh air and spring skies in a relaxing environment.

The local government has been seeking to support the traditional kite-making technique, but Feng is not confident about the future of the skill. He said he is worried that the craft might disappear due to a lack of interest among the young generation to learn kite-making.

"Those who know how to make the kites in Zhangjiagang are mostly over 60 years old," he said. "It will be really sad if, in the future, no one knows how to make them."

Reed flower shoes

Reed flower shoes are comprised of reed flowers, which form the upper part of the shoes, and straw for the soles. They are unique handicrafts from Nanfeng town in Zhangjiagang. Though few people wear them these days, the shoes have long been collected by locals.

Shi Fenggao, 76, is among the few craftsmen who specialize in making reed flower shoes. The art is also listed as an intangible cultural heritage item of Zhangjiagang.

The soft straw for soles and the reed flowers for the upper parts of the shoes can easily be found in the Yangtze River Delta area. The ideal time to collect the reed flowers is when they begin to bloom. After being dried, the reed flowers are twisted together into ropes by rubbing them together rapidly between one's palms. The reed flower rope is then woven into the straw sole in a circular fashion until the shoe is fully formed. Each pair of shoes requires 500 grams of reed flowers to complete.

More than 40 years ago, reed flower shoes were popular with poor families because they were cheap and could effectively keep people's feet warm. Due to their popularity, many residents made reed flower shoes in their spare time, as did Shi. He said a pair of shoes would sell for only 0.2 yuan (3 cents) in the 1970s.

Shi began learning the craft from his elder brother when he was a child and has been interested in it since. Now that his skills are well-honed, he can make a pair of the shoes in one day.

With the improvement of living standards in China since the 1970s, few people still wear reed flower shoes. However, Shi makes the shoes in the hope of preserving and passing on the old skill. These days, tourists, not locals, are the buyers of Shi's skillfully crafted products. Each pair of his shoes now sells for around 150 yuan.

Due to the shortage of market demand, the craft of making reed flower shoes may be on the verge of vanishing, according to Shi. "Those who can make reed flower shoes are as old as me or older, and I have no idea who will make such shoes after we pass away," Shi said.

In 2010, reed flower shoes debuted at the Shanghai Expo and attracted much attention from global visitors. The craft now has a chance of being listed as a municipal cultural heritage item.

Shi said he hopes to pass on his technique to a younger generation and wants to share his knowledge. "If anyone wants to learn the skill, I will teach them for free," he said.

xujin@chinadaily.com.cn

Shi Fenggao and a pair of reed flower shoes he made. Qu Haiya / for China Daily

Illustration by Li Min / China Daily

(China Daily 04/27/2015 page6)