Rush weaving industry begins to revive after years in the doldrums

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on September 15, 2006. It features Dajia's rush weaving industry, in central Taiwan's Taichung County.

In the past, Dajia's woven hats and mats were renowned far and wide. The production and sale of these items, along with their export, earned Taiwan a large amount of foreign exchange. However, as time went by, many cheaper products emerged and replaced the rush woven ones. Dajia's straw weaving industry was on the verge of losing its traditional place, until the town's agricultural association established a weaving course and enabled this traditional handicraft to find a second spring.

In as early as the mid-18th century, the indigenous people in Taiwan were making woven rush products. Their skills were later brought to Dajia, and businesses were opened to export woven rush hats and mats to Japan. Between 1956 and 1966, the government in Taiwan strongly promoted the production of rush woven hats and mats. Each year, nearly 500,000 of these products were exported. The industry attracted a large number of people and a significant amount of investment, and the making of these woven products helped to support well over 10,000 families in Taiwan.

However, in the 1970s, Taiwan underwent a transformation. Mass production and other professional commercial activities began to take off and gradually replace various kinds of traditional industries. The straw weaving industry in Dajia faced the same fate as that of any number of other "sunset industries", as people decided to work in factories where they could make more money.

Nonetheless, in recent years, the government in Taiwan has begun to start to re-emphasize traditional industrial arts. Many experts in weaving rush hats and mats have been brought back to the national stage and honoured for their skills. For example, Ko Chuang-man, who passed away two years ago, was bestowed with the National Heritage Award for keeping the traditional of weaving straw mats a live. Meanwhile, Chu Chou Kui-chun has been responsible for elevating the weaving of rush into an art and has shouldered the responsibility of passing along and promoting the skills of this craft.

Most significantly, the Taichung County Government, the Dajia agricultural association and the Yu Jan Shin Culture and Education Foundation have been cooperating with other private and public organizations in the rediscovery and continuous promotion of the essence of rush weaving. These organizations have held workshops and exhibitions, and have been arranging classes so that traditional weaving experts can pass on their skills to the new generations.

According to this article, the students who take part in the rush-weaving course held by the Dajia agricultural association have displayed a new enthusiasm for the craft. They have also helped blending traditional weaving skills together with modern lifestyles. For example, rush woven bags are now commonly seen, and other items such as slippers, pads for safety helmets, bands that fit around pens and pencils to prevent them from rolling, and toys for children are just a few of the items that show how this traditional craft can play a relevant role in today's lifestyle.