Introduction to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Tengchong: Handmade Oil-paper Umbrella

"Holding an oil-paper umbrella, walking in the leisurely rain alley, green ancient bridge, thin river flow..." In Gudong Town, Tengchong, there is an intangible cultural heritage that has been passed down for three hundred years - Xingyang Oil-paper Umbrella. It is understood that during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, every household here made oil-paper umbrellas. With extremely exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful appearance, Xingyang oil-paper umbrellas were once sold to various places in western Yunnan and neighboring Myanmar. Today, Xingyang oil-paper umbrella is becoming a popular souvenir for tourists in Tengchong. In September 2005, the craft of making Tengchong paper umbrellas was included in the Baoshan City Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Project. In 2022, the craft of making Tengchong paper umbrellas was included in the fifth batch of representative projects of intangible cultural heritage in Yunnan Province. The craft of making Tengchong paper umbrellas is complicated and meticulous, with ancient and simple tools, and all rely on manual completion. A complete oil-paper umbrella requires thirty-six major procedures and one hundred and one steps, including cutting umbrella bones, winding edge lines, pasting paper, applying persimmon water, painting umbrella surface, installing umbrella handle, brushing tung oil... Complicated procedures create ingenious works and open up a wonderful life. Tengchong Banshan Courtyard (Heshun Ancient Town Store) Tengchong Banyan Tree Villa Garden Inn