Bamboo mats have long been essential summer items for cooling off since ancient times, handwoven from bamboo strips split from the outer layer of bamboo. On August 9th, our reporter visited Yunzhou Village in Hengjie Town, Haishu District. Surrounded by lush bamboo forests and fresh air, 71-year-old villager Weng Shiguo started his day by heading up the mountain with a knife to cut bamboo. (Photographed and written by Xu Neng, Yongpai Client Reporter, and Zhang Haohua, Correspondent)

Weng Shiguo is the third-generation inheritor of bamboo weaving craftsmanship. He learned the skill from his father at a young age and excels in creating daily-use items such as bamboo mats, baskets, scoops, stools, and trays. Having entered the trade as a teenager, he has never stopped practicing his craft for over 50 years. "When I was young, learning this craft made me well-recognized and highly sought-after by locals!" Weng recalled. During the 1970s and 80s, his exceptional skills and ingenuity allowed him to replicate intricate bamboo designs after just a few observations.

Having worked in a bamboo weaving factory since his twenties, Weng developed his own creative ideas for bamboo patterns. His works were repeatedly selected for provincial and municipal appraisals and even showcased at the Canton Fair as outstanding pieces, bringing a steady stream of orders to both the village and himself. However, the 1990s saw the rise of mechanized production lines, drastically reducing the demand for handmade bamboo products. As traditional bamboo factories in the town closed down and most artisans switched careers, Weng remained steadfast in his craft.

In 2005, under Hengjie Town's village-enterprise cooperation policy, Ningbo Huaye Fiber Technology Co., Ltd. partnered with Yunzhou Village to fund village development. During this period, company director Chen Xiangmin coincidentally met Weng Shiguo. "To meet modern market demands, contemporary bamboo mat production has adopted mechanized and standardized techniques," Chen explained. While traditional handweaving takes at least seven days, the new mechanical process enables unlimited production.

As a bamboo mat industry professional with a passion for collecting exquisite bamboo crafts, Chen was deeply captivated by Weng's works. He hired Weng as a design consultant to guide the creation of decorative patterns for the company's bamboo mats. "Collaborating with bamboo artisans to integrate traditional weaving elements into modern designs is a way to keep this craft alive," Chen said.

After selecting suitable bamboo stalks in the forest, Weng skillfully cuts them down with a few swift strikes near the roots. With a crisp "crack," the bamboo slowly falls. He trims off excess nodes and carries the middle section home. From his old wooden workbench, he retrieves a set of tools bearing dark rust marks from years of use. He first slices off the bamboo tip, splits it vertically along the cut, and then uses progressively smaller tools to replace the sickle, continuing to divide the bamboo into fine strips.