Huangtu Mountain - Craft Home Introduction
Master Huang Tushan, a national treasure in bamboo weaving, began learning the craft at the age of 14. In his early twenties, he established a bamboo processing factory that produces bamboo bags and baskets, selling them in domestic and international markets. Over the past 50 years, he has taught more than 1,000 students, nurturing countless talents in Taiwan's bamboo weaving industry, making him a living history of Taiwan's bamboo weaving. ■ Craftsmanship during the Japanese Occupation – A National Treasure-Level Master Huang Tushan gives the impression of being diligent and simple. His home and studio in Zhushan Town are filled with bamboo woven works and award records. Now in his eighties, he retired from the Provincial Institute of Handicraft Research over a decade ago, thus earning the title of a national treasure-level master. Recalling his connection to bamboo artistry, Huang Tushan, who grew up in Zhushan, mentions that during the Japanese occupation, over 13,000 acres of bamboo forests were planted in the area. With strong flexibility and excellent material properties, bamboo was widely used to make everyday utensils. After graduating from elementary school in Showa 13 (1938), he attended the Bamboo Crafts Training Institute for three years, establishing a foundation in bamboo arts, followed by an additional year and a half learning thicker bamboo weaving techniques. Shortly after he was drafted, World War II ended, and due to the need for a large number of bamboo suitcases as the Japanese military returned home, Huang began engaging in the bamboo products trade. In 1953, after two months of training in Nantou, he was sent to teach at the Chiayi Craft Study Class, marking the beginning of his transmission work in bamboo arts. ■ Nurturing Talents – Students Across the Land A year later, the Nantou County Government established a Craft Research Class in Caotun, and Huang Tushan returned home to serve. It was the peak period for handicrafts, and he devoted his knowledge to teaching bamboo arts. Over three years, he successfully nurtured many excellent students, including 50 indigenous students from Taitung and Hualien, who learned from one another to develop new products such as bamboo vases and lamps. Starting in 1953, Huang Tushan successively worked at various craft training centers in Chiayi, Nantou, Taichung, and Guanmiao, as well as the Provincial Institute of Handicraft Research and the Central Experimental Institute of Taiwan Handicraft Promotion, responsible for developing new products while collaborating with schools for educational cooperation to teach bamboo processing skills. He also traveled overseas multiple times with farming teams to assist with local bamboo industry techniques. His bamboo weaving works vary widely, including traditional utensils, flower vases, fruit trays, and bamboo lacquerware. After retirement, Huang continued to create and pass on his knowledge, accepting numerous invitations to exhibit his works. He also served as a lecturer for the bamboo weaving inheritance class and bamboo weaving technical talent training class at Zhushan High School and the Handicraft Research Institute, contributing to the training of many new talents. ■ Not Retiring – Planning a Exhibition Hall After decades of passing down bamboo arts, Huang Tushan has received the National Arts Heritage Award and significant honors as an important ethnic arts craftsman. He continues to work because, as he states, "Bamboo weaving techniques require creativity and hands-on crafting; continuing to make bamboo products is beneficial for my health. I have been connected to bamboo arts all my life, and I hope this traditional craft can be passed down forever." He believes that Taiwan is rich in bamboo culture. From baby strollers, bamboo baskets, and bamboo chopsticks to bamboo rafts, bridges, bamboo handles for brushes, bamboo houses, and beds, bamboo is all around. Bamboo shoots, as a by-product, are a beloved food in every household. In a society closely related to bamboo, people naturally develop a deep and inseparable bond with it, providing endless inspiration during creation. His greatest wish is to have more people appreciate bamboo arts and continue to pass on this thoughtful bamboo weaving art, flourishing it further. He also plans to buy land to build an exhibition hall to showcase the beauty of bamboo arts created by master craftsmen. (Text and images from the National Taiwan Craft Research Institute)
