In the southwestern border of the motherland, there is a beautiful place - Tengchong. Here is a "Han book left behind in the frontier". Tengchong is a multi-ethnic settlement mainly composed of Han people. The figure of the Central Plains culture can be found everywhere. In the long history of development, while creating material wealth, Also created a variety of national folk culture and art.
Shadow puppetry, clay pottery, oiled paper umbrellas, rattan weaving, handwritten paper... As of 2019, Tengchong City has a total of 66 items on the list of intangible cultural heritage at all levels (2 items at the national level, 6 items at the provincial level, 32 items at the municipal level, and 32 items at the county level) 26 items), and 227 representative inheritors (3 at the national level, 14 at the provincial level, 62 at the city level, and 148 at the county level).
Today, let’s talk about the more representative handwritten paper, clay pottery, oil-paper umbrellas and shadow puppetry, and through personal experience, we will organize a strategy for the journey of Tengchong’s intangible cultural heritage.
Suggested itinerary: Bowl Kiln Pottery (1 and a half days) - Xingyang Oil Paper Umbrella (half a day) - Jietou Handmade Paper (1 day) - Yongzhou Shadow Puppet Museum (half a day);
Bowl clay pottery
Bowl kiln clay pottery has a long history and was introduced to Tengchong during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. Inherited to the present, it is not only a practical living utensil, but also a work of art with artistic value.
Bowl kiln clay pottery also follows the traditional production method, traditional kiln firing + tedious manual process. And relying on the unique natural resources to obtain local materials, the local volcanic colored mud is used to make it, which is also a major feature of Wanyao clay pottery. It is made through many steps such as drawing, drying and trimming, glazing, and firing.
The reason why the bowl kiln clay pottery experience is arranged on the first day is because the preliminary shaped clay pottery needs to be fired and glazed on the second day, so you can arrange to come to repair and glaze the clay pottery in the afternoon of the second day.
TIPS
① Wanyao pottery experience address: Sun's pottery in Wanyao Community, Sanlian Village, Mazhan Township, Tengchong City (2 kilometers north of Volcano Park)
② Surrounding attractions: Volcano Park, Columnar Joints, Heiyu River, Ginkgo Village.
③ Peripheral delicacies: Shunjiang Roasted Pork Rice Noodles, Ginkgo Stewed Chicken.
Xingyang Oil Paper Umbrella
Xingyang Oil-paper Umbrella is located in Xingyang Village, Gudong. It has a history of making oil-paper umbrellas for 300 years. Although this small village is small, the oil-paper umbrellas here were sold well in Southeast Asia and other regions a few years ago.
Old man Zheng Yinghai is the "intangible cultural heritage inheritor" of Xingyang oil-paper umbrellas. The oil-paper umbrellas he makes are exquisite in craftsmanship, beautiful in shape, bright in color, and bright in oil color. It won't seep through."
The oil-paper umbrellas in Xingyang have been passed down to this day. The old man Zheng Yinghai no longer makes umbrellas, but passes on the craftsmanship to his son Zheng Jiajiang. This old craftsmanship that brings together generations of Zheng family ancestors has not disappeared with the development of the times.
Today, there are 6 families making oiled paper umbrellas in Xingyang Village. In addition to listening to the stories of the past told by these craftsmen, it is also an interesting thing for foreign tourists to make an oiled paper umbrella.
TIPS
① Xingyang oil-paper umbrella experience address: Zheng Yinghai’s home in Xingyang Village, Gudong Town, Tengchong City (on the way to Ginkgo Village)
② Surrounding attractions: Ginkgo Village, Volcano Park, Columnar Joints, Heiyu River.
③ Accommodation can be arranged in the homestay of Zheng Yinghai's relatives.
Jietou handmade paper
Tengchong has three treasures: Tengxuan, rattan weaving, and Tengyao. Tengxuan refers to the ancient method of papermaking in Jietou, Tengchong. The handmade paper in Xinzhuang Village, Jietou, Tengchong has a long history. According to the Long family tree, its ancestors immigrated from Hunan. Passed down from hand to hand and continues to this day.
Jietou's handmade paper is white and delicate, simple in texture, and strong in flexibility. It not only has practical value, but also has a certain artistic value due to the dedication of traditional craftsmanship, which is incomparable to today's A4 paper. In addition, Jietou The handmade paper is also the best material for making Xingyang oil-paper umbrellas!
While going to Jietou to experience handmade papermaking, the "Gaoligong Handmade Papermaking Museum" here is an award-winning work designed and built by designer Hua Li. It has a display of the history of papermaking here and a collection of many books. If you catch up with the rape blossom season in Jietou from March to May, you can spend an afternoon reading a book here to make the journey more comfortable.
TIPS
① Jietou Handmade Paper Address: Longshang Village, Xinzhuang Village, Jietou Town, Tengchong City.
② Surrounding attractions: Jietou Flower Sea, Tiantai Mountain, Haha House (where Haha Farmer was filmed), Longchuan River Rafting.
③ Gourmet food: You can order farm food at the papermaker's house in advance, and the price is about 20 yuan per person.
Yongzhou Shadow Puppet Museum
It is worth mentioning that Mr. Liu Yongzhou, the inheritor of Tengchong's intangible shadow puppetry culture, began to learn how to make and perform shadow puppetry at the age of eleven or twelve. Since he passed it on, he no longer does it because of his advanced age. However, the shadow puppet troupe named after him is one of the few. There are many shadow puppets that are still "alive".
Tengchong Shadow Puppetry is located in Liujiazhai, Gudong Town. There is a Yongzhou Shadow Puppet Hall in the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Street" of Tengchong Gaoligong International Cultural City. In addition to watching shadow puppet performances and understanding shadow puppet culture, you can also experience it yourself. Make shadow puppets.
TIPS
① Address of Liu Yongzhou Shadow Puppet Hall: Yongzhou Shadow Puppet Hall in Gaoligong International Cultural City, Tengchong City.
② Surrounding attractions: Happy Lake, Radar Station...
③ The "intangible cultural heritage street" here is a collection of shadow puppets, clay pottery, oil-paper umbrellas, rattan weaving... Tengchong's concentrated experience of intangible cultural heritage.
If you want to make travel "cultural", intangible cultural heritage tour is a good choice. Communicate face-to-face with traditional culture, grow through tracing records on the way of experience, feel the profoundness of Chinese traditional culture, and inherit the crystallization of the nation. Spend three or four days to Tengchong to explore these intangible cultural heritages! It will tell you what it means to travel.