At that time, Luzhou was famous for making exquisite paper umbrellas. With the passage of time, the umbrella industry in Luzhou has experienced ups and downs and changes. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, Luzhou umbrella industry ushered in vigorous development. During this period, the manufacturing technology of umbrellas was more exquisite, the decorative patterns were more complex and the types were more diverse.
The birthplace of Luzhou oil-paper umbrella production technology is Fenshui Town, Luzhou City, Sichuan Province. There are dozens of kinds of umbrellas, including oil-paper umbrellas, oil-cloth umbrellas, nylon umbrellas and so on. Luzhou oil-paper umbrella is famous for its portability, beauty and practicality, and is known as "the hometown of umbrellas in China".
At first, the umbrella industry in Luzhou was mainly made by family workshops, mainly producing bamboo umbrellas and cloth umbrellas. With the passage of time, Luzhou umbrella industry has gradually developed and become a characteristic industry in Luzhou City. In 1980s, umbrella-making enterprises began to appear in Luzhou City, with the gradual expansion of production scale, continuous improvement of technical level and continuous increase of product varieties.
The development of Luzhou umbrella industry has promoted the local economic development and social progress, and also promoted the inheritance and development of traditional handicraft skills. The production technology of Luzhou oil-paper umbrella has been listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list and has become a bright treasure of cultural industry.
Characteristics of umbrella making in Luzhou;
1. Exquisite craftsmanship: Luzhou umbrella-making technology is fine and complicated, and it is all done by hand, including more than 20 links such as sawing, planing, scraping, inking, bamboo cutting, slotting, inking, drilling and labeling. After the assembly, there is also the production of the umbrella cover, including paper-cutting, shaping, lithography, umbrella paste, oiling and other links. Every link needs exquisite skills and experience to ensure the quality and durability of umbrellas.
2. High-quality raw materials: Luzhou umbrella is made of high-quality raw materials. For example, the umbrella ribs are old bamboos in mountainous areas above 800 meters above sea level in southern Sichuan and Zhuhai, which have great toughness and elasticity. The umbrella cover is made of special hand-made cotton paper with strong tension, and there will be exquisite hand-painted flowers on it, such as flowers and birds, figures, landscapes and so on. These materials are not only beautiful, but also of high quality, which can ensure the durability and practicality of the umbrella.
3. Unique design: Luzhou oil-paper umbrella is mainly "red umbrella", with elegant appearance, unique cultural connotation and local characteristics. The hand-painted flowers on the umbrella cover are exquisite, and the patterns of flowers, birds, figures, landscapes and so on have strong national and regional characteristics. These color pictures are not only beautiful, but also have the function of preventing ultraviolet rays.