Luo Weikuan – Craftman of Broad-rimmed Bamboo Hat in Mojiang County, Puer 

Profile

Luo Weikuan(罗维宽)was born in 1936,  he is Hani ethnic minority and lived in Lianzhu Town, Mojiang County, Puer City(普洱市墨江县联珠镇)

Personal Experiences

At the age of 8, he began to learn knitting craft from Wu Jiahong (吴家宏)in Wumiao Street, mainly tung oil bamboo hat(桐油篾帽) and bird cage. The bamboo hat is the mascot of the Biyue branch(碧约支系) of the Hani ethnic  minority and the engagement gift of young men and women. From 1958 to 1960, Luo Weikuan took a full-time job  in the Commune Hat Factory to weave Hats, from 1961 to 1963, he knitted bamboo hats in the brigade’s Mie factory.(大队篾场)

Achievements

He has been knitting bamboo hat for more than 50 years. His skill of knitting bamboo hat and bird cage are the best  of Biyue Branch. His work bamboo hat was sent to Beijing for exhibition as early as 1959.                                               He is the first batch of  inheritor of provincial intangible cultural heritage.

Present Situation

Nowadays, with the improvement of people’s living standards, more and more people grow flowers and raise birds. Bird cages are also selling better and better, while the hat is seldom done because of  few people need it. This skill of  making broad-rimmed bamboo hats slowly disappearing.

Chinese Version: http://www.ynich.cn/view-ml-13111-2645.html                                                                              Translated by Lynette Fu/付云锐