Huangtu Mountain - Art Craft House Introduction
Master Huang Tu-Shan, a national treasure of bamboo weaving, began learning the craft at the age of 14. In his early twenties, he established a bamboo processing factory producing bamboo tote bags and baskets, which he sold in both domestic and international markets. Over more than 50 years, he has taught over a thousand students, nurturing countless talents in Taiwan's bamboo weaving industry; he can be regarded as a living history of bamboo weaving in Taiwan. **■ Master Craftsman of the Japanese Colonial Era** The first impression of Huang Tu-Shan is one of diligence and simplicity. His home and studio in Zhushan Township are filled with bamboo woven works and records of awards. Now over eighty years old, he retired from the Provincial Institute of Handicrafts more than a decade ago, and he is considered a national treasure-level craftsman. Speaking about his history with bamboo arts, Huang, who grew up in Zhushan, recalls that during the Japanese occupation, more than 13,000 hectares of bamboo forest were planted in the area. The bamboo skin is highly elastic and possesses good material properties, making it widely used for making daily utensils. When he graduated from elementary school in the 27th year of the Showa era (1937 AD), he studied for three years at the Bamboo Craft Training Institute, establishing a foundation in bamboo arts, followed by an additional one and a half years learning coarse bamboo weaving techniques. Soon after his military service, World War II ended, during which the Japanese military required a large number of bamboo trunks for luggage. Huang first came into contact with the trade of bamboo products. In 1953, after receiving two months of professional training in Nantou, he was sent to teach at the Chiayi Craft Specialization Class, embarking on his path of perpetuating bamboo arts. **■ Cultivating Talents Across the Land** A year later, the Nantou County Government established a Craft Research Class in Caotun, and Huang returned home to serve there. At that time, it was the peak of handicrafts, and he devoted himself to teaching bamboo arts. Over three years, he nurtured many outstanding students, including fifty indigenous students from Taitung and Hualien, who learned from each other and developed new bamboo products such as flower vases and lighting fixtures. From 1953 onwards, Huang has been responsible for product development at various craft training centers in Chiayi, Nantou, Taichung, and Guanmiao, as well as the Provincial Institute of Handicrafts and Taiwan's Handicraft Promotion Center's Central Experimental Institute. He also collaborated with schools in teaching bamboo processing techniques and frequently traveled abroad with farming teams to assist in guiding local bamboo industry techniques. Huang’s bamboo woven works vary widely, including traditional utensils, flower vases, fruit trays, and bamboo lacquerware. Even after retirement, he continued to create and pass on his knowledge, having been invited to exhibit multiple times, and he also teaches bamboo weaving classes at Zhushan High School and the Institute of Handicrafts. **■ Unretired and Building a Museum** After decades of passing down bamboo arts, Huang Tu-Shan has been awarded the National Arts Transmission Award and the prestigious title of Important Master of Folk Arts. He remains active because he believes "the craft of bamboo weaving requires both creative thought and hands-on skills; continuing to produce bamboo art pieces is very beneficial for health. Having been tied to bamboo arts for my whole life, I hope this traditional skill can be passed down forever." Huang believes that Taiwan is rich in bamboo culture, with items ranging from baby carriages and bamboo baskets to bamboo chopsticks, bamboo rafts, bamboo bridges, bamboo handles for writing brushes, bamboo houses, bamboo beds, and bamboo bridges, with bamboo shoots being a beloved food in every household. In a society closely related to bamboo, there exists a deep, inseparable emotional connection, which continuously inspires creativity. His greatest wish is for more people to appreciate bamboo arts and to continue passing down this bamboo weaving art that is worthy of contemplation and enjoyment, further promoting it. He also plans to buy land to build a museum to showcase the beauty of bamboo arts crafted by the master.
