Chinese Umbrella

伞实用的工艺品

Chinese Umbrella

There are some umbrellas with different colours, which have the character of south China, and they are loved by women.

The Raw Material of Chinese Umbrella

Chinese umbrella with golden fish and bamboo. The basic construction of a Chinese umbrella is usually made from bamboos because they are longlasting.

How to make Chinese Umbrella

A Chinese umbrella maker is paintings on the umbrella.

The Pattern of Chinese Umbrella

Chinese umbrella with Facial Makeup of Beijing Opera which is full of Chinese tradition.

The Top of Yellow Chinese Umbrella

A yellow Chinese umbrella top. It's only used for decoration so it doesn't have the function of blocking wind and rain.

The Chinese waxed and lacquered their paper parasols because oil repels water. In ancient times, the frames of the umbrellas were made of mulberry bark or bamboo. Red and yellow umbrellas were used by royal families, and blue umbrellas, by the common people.

History

In written records, the oldest reference to a collapsible umbrella dates to the year 21 A.D., when Wang Mang (r. 9C23) had one designed for a ceremonial four-wheeled carriage. Although sun shades were used by the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans, their umbrellas and parasols did not feature mechanical sliding levers that would make them collapsible. The 2nd century commentator Fu Qian added that this collapsible umbrella of Wang Mang's carriage had bendable joints which enabled them to be extended or retracted. A 1st century collapsible umbrella has since been recovered from the tomb of Wang Guang at the Korean site of the Lelang Commandery, illustrated in a work by Harada and Komai. However, the Chinese collapsible umbrella is perhaps a concept that is yet centuries older than Qin's tomb. Zhou Dynasty bronze castings of complex bronze socketed hinges with locking slides and boltswhich could have been used for parasols and umbrellaa - were found in an archeological site of Luoyang, dated to the 6th century BCE.

An even older source on the umbrella is perhaps the ancient book of Chinese ceremonies, called Zhou Li (The Rites of Zhou), dating 2400 years ago, which directs that upon the imperial cars the dais should be placed. The figure of this dais contained in Zhou-Li, and the description of it given in the explanatory commentary of Lin-hi-ye, both identify it with an umbrella. The latter describes the dais to be composed of 28 arcs, which are equivalent to the ribs of the modern instrument, and the staff supporting the covering to consist of two parts, the upper being a rod 3/18 of a Chinese foot in circumference, and the lower a tube 6/10 in circumference, into which the upper half is capable of sliding and closing.

The Chinese Character for Umbrella: San

The Chinese character for umbrella is "San" and is a pictograph resembling the modern umbrella in design. Some investigators have supposed that its invention was first created by tying large leaves to bough-like ribs (the branching out parts of an umbrella). Others assert that the idea was probably derived from the tent, which remains in form unaltered to the present day. However, the tradition existing in China is that it originated in standards and banners waving in the air, hence the use of the umbrella was often linked to high ranking (though not necessarily royalty in China). On one occasion at least, twenty-four umbrellas were carried before the Emperor when he went out hunting. In this case the umbrella served as a defense against rain rather than sun. The Chinese design was later brought to Japan via Korea and also introduced to Persia and the Western world via the Silk Road. The Chinese and Japanese traditional parasol, often used near temples, to this day remains similar to the original ancient Chinese design.

A late Song Dynasty Chinese divination book that was printed in about 1270 CE features a picture of a collapsible umbrella that is exactly like the modern umbrella of today's China.

Paper Umbrellas

Best Paper Umbrellas

The best oilpaper umbrellas are generally thought to be those from Fujian and Hunan provinces, with a good reputation for its delicate craftsmanship and vivid pattern. Their bamboo frames are treated against mould and worms. The paper covers are hand-painted with flowers, birds, figures and landscapes and then coated with oil so that they are not only practical but also pretty and durable.

Producing Craft

Though it is only a small paper umbrella like other arts, the producing craft is without any carelessness. Take Fuzhou paper umbrella for example. The rib must be made of five-year-old bamboo produced in northern Fujian Province to make it have strong tenacity and elasticity, and possess mould resistance, antiseptic property and resistance to insects by special manufacturing. An umbrella is finished via over 80 processes, and traditionally has five independent parts -- the rib, the umbrella, the head of umbrella, the shaft and painting. The umbrella surface is made of refined cotton paper with strong pulling force. Then it is treated with pure paint, again tung oil which has strong stickiness, designed with flowers and birds, figures, landscape and scenery.

Paper Umbrellas Nowadays

Materials

At present, umbrellas in China are made of various materials: oilpaper, cotton, silk, plastic film and nylon. They are used either against the rain or as parasols to give shade from the sun. Some are built on straight frames while others are collapsible.

The prettiest Chinese umbrellas, however, are those covered with silk, and the silk parasols of Hangzhou are veritable works of art, which also serve a practical purpose. The silk, as thin as cicada's wing and printed with landscapes, is also fixed on a bamboo frame. A parasol of Hangzhou, usually 53 centimeters or 20 inches long, weighs only 250 grams or 8.8 ounces, is very handy and makes a welcome souvenir for tourists. To protect themselves against the sun, local girls like to carry parasols with them, which have long become part of the female attire.

Umbrellas or parasols, apart from their practical uses, have also become part of the paraphernalia for the stage artists of acrobatics. A notable example is the wire-walker who uses a parasol as a balancer to keep her on the wire.

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