The making craft of birch bark is a unique craftsmanship of nomadichunting nationalities in the North China, which has strong ethniccharacteristics and regional features. This craft is popular in Inner Mongolia OroqenAutonomous Region, the Ewenki Autonomous Region, Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Region,Ererguna Autonomous Region (Genhe City) and the valleys along with HeilongjiangRiver.

Ancient nomadic hunting nationalities, such as Donghu, Huns, Xianbei, Khitanand Jurchen, all have the age of pottery manufacture techniques, while thenationalities such as Oroqen, Ewenki, Daur and Mongolia don’t have potterymaking histories. The utensils made of birch bark by Oroqen, Ewenki and Daurreplaced the potteries and porcelains in production and livelihood, showing thecultural characteristics of the forest hunting nationalities.

The birch bark has a good capability of waterproof and anti-corrosion. Utensilsmade by birch bark are light, portable and unbreakable, which are the favorite productiontools and living goods for the hunting nationalities. There are various shapes,including boats, baskets, cases, boxes, bowls and so on. All these utensils aremade of birch barks by using the animal muscles and horsetail ropes to sew themand they are carved with various patterns and designs. They are not onlyimportant tools but also elegant artworks.

Traditional making process of birch bark contains four steps: firstly, peelingbark; secondly, steeping or boiling the barks until soft; thirdly, tailoringand sewing; fourthly, decorating by carving or cutting and pasting. All thenationalities use the patterns symbolizing luck, happiness, safeness and a goodharvest on the utensils made of birch bark.

With the development of society, the manufacturing techniques and lifestyle of the hunting nationalities have changed a lot. The hunting culture and themanufacturing techniques of birch bark are gradually declining. Inconsideration of the significance on protecting this craft, effective measuresshould be made and executed as soon as possible.

Date:2014.3.17   

Source： Chinese Cultural RelicsNet