Huangtu Mountain - Craft Home Introduction
Master Huang Tu-shan, a national treasure of bamboo weaving, began learning bamboo weaving at the age of 14. In his early twenties, he established a bamboo processing factory producing bamboo bags and baskets, selling them to both domestic and international markets. Over the past 50 years, he has taught over a thousand students, nurturing countless talents in Taiwan's bamboo weaving industry, making him a living history of Taiwan's bamboo weaving. -His Hard Work in the Japanese Colonial Era Master Huang gives a first impression of diligence and simplicity. His home and studio in Zhu Shan are filled with bamboo works and awards. At eighty years old, he retired from the Provincial Handicraft Research Institute more than a decade ago, earning the title of a national treasure master. Reflecting on his history with bamboo arts, Huang, who grew up in Zhu Shan, recalls that during the Japanese colonial period, over 13,000 hectares of bamboo were planted in the area. Bamboo skin is elastic and of good quality, and it has long been widely used for making daily utensils. After graduating from elementary school in the 13th year of the Showa era (1938), he studied at the Bamboo Craft Training Institute for three years, laying the foundation for bamboo arts, and then spent another year and a half learning coarser bamboo weaving techniques. Shortly after serving in the army, World War II ended, and the Japanese army needed a large number of bamboo suitcases to return home, which led Huang to start dealing with bamboo products. In 1953, after two months of craft training in Nantou, he was dispatched to teach at the Chiayi Craft Special Training Class, beginning his transmission of bamboo arts. -Cultivating Talent Across the Lands A year later, the Nantou County government established a craft research class in Caotun, and Huang returned to serve his hometown. At that time, it was the peak period of handicrafts, and he dedicated himself to teaching bamboo arts. After three years, he developed many outstanding students, including fifty indigenous students from Taitung and Hualien, learning from one another and creating new products such as bamboo flower vases and lamps. Since 1953, Huang has been responsible for developing new products at various skill training centers in Chiayi, Nantou, Taichung, and Guanmiao, as well as the Provincial Handicraft Research Institute and the Central Experimental Institute of Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center. He also cooperated with schools to teach bamboo processing techniques and has traveled overseas with farming teams to assist in guiding local bamboo industry techniques. Huang's bamboo weaving works are diverse, including traditional utensils, flower containers, fruit trays, and lacquered bamboo crafts. Even after retiring, he continued his creative work and legacy, being invited to exhibit numerous times, and serving as a lecturer for bamboo weaving craft classes at Zhu Shan High School and the Handicraft Research Institute, nurturing many talents. -Retirement Doesn't Mean Resting After decades of passing on bamboo arts, Huang Tu-shan has been honored with the National Art Inheritance Award and significant recognition as a master of folk art. He continues to work because he believes that "the skill of bamboo weaving involves both creative thinking and hands-on crafting, and continuing to produce bamboo artworks is beneficial for health. Having been connected to bamboo art my whole life, I hope this traditional skill can be passed down forever." Huang believes that Taiwan is rich in bamboo culture. From baby carriages, bamboo baskets, chopsticks, bamboo rafts, bamboo bridges, to bamboo handles for brushes, bamboo houses, bamboo beds, and bamboo bridges, bamboo shoots, a beloved food, can be found in every household. In a society closely connected to bamboo, there is a deep-rooted affection for it, and this inspires continuous creativity during the crafting process. His greatest wish is to have more people appreciate bamboo art, continue the inheritance of this delicately nuanced bamboo weaving artistry, and promote it widely. He also plans to acquire land to build a exhibition hall to showcase the beauty of bamboo art by masters. (Text and images from National Taiwan Craft Research Institute)
