Folk craftsmen handmake traditional oil-paper umbrellas, preserve cultural heritage

Folk craftsmen in east China's Jiangxi Province have preserved the art of making traditional Jialu oil-paper umbrellas, contributing to the preservation of the intangible cultural heritages.

Jialu umbrellas, which originated in Jialu Village of Jiangxi's Wuyuan County, have a history of over 800 years. In 2021, the craft of making these parasols was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.

With a bamboo frame and paper covering, the crafting process for this delicate handicraft requires over 70 steps.

Though the practice of using an umbrella to block sunlight has survived in China, most people now use modern products while oil-paper parasols have gone into decline.

But in 1990, Dai Gensheng, a native of Jialu Village, founded the Jialu oil-paper umbrella factory, aiming to protect and pass on the traditional craftwork.

"When selecting bamboo, we usually require workers to mark stalks that have grown this year, as bamboo typically needs to reach three to five years of age before it can be used for making Jialu oil-paper umbrella. Currently, the paper we now use is made cotton paper reinforced with gauze, replacing the single-layer paper we used in the past so the umbrellas can be stronger and more durable," he said.

Dai explained that making Jialu umbrellas requires chopping bamboo, carefully constructing the skeleton and artfully painting the umbrella cover.

It is a handmade craft that machines cannot emulate, he said.

"In the past, Jialu oil-paper umbrellas were single-colored, either in bright red, black or yellow. Now, we use traditional Chinese painting pigments instead to make the paintings more vibrant and captivating," said the craftsman.

Wuyuan County has attached importance to the protection of its cultural heritage in recent years, facilitated the development of local intangible cultural heritage projects, and held training sessions for the inheritors.

The oil-paper umbrellas made in Jialu have been exported to over 20 countries and regions.

The making of Jialu oil-paper umbrellas has provided employment opportunities for local villagers and boosted the development of local bamboo sales and accessory processing in nearby villages.

Folk craftsmen handmake traditional oil-paper umbrellas, preserve cultural heritage

People in Yemen are struggling for survival as the country continues to grapple with a deepening labor crisis after more than a decade of war, with many lamenting the lack of opportunities which are leaving the livelihoods of many hanging in the balance.

As the world marks International Workers' Day on Friday, the situation in Yemen seems all the more poignant as millions of people are finding it increasingly hard to find any work at all.

In the crowded streets of the capital Sana'a, workers gather on street corners, waiting for jobs that may never come. Ahmed Muawadah is one of the many who are sitting here, watching passing cars, desperately hoping that one will stop and offer work.

"Our suffering is that we sit here without work. Sometimes we spend a whole month without working, except for one day, or just one day every two weeks. Work is very limited, almost non-existent. I have nine children, and I only work one day a month. I cannot support them. Jobs have completely disappeared. If opportunities were opened for us, I and all the workers would work," said Muawadah.

This individual story reflects a broader reality affecting an estimated eight million workers across Yemen. Many of them are hoping to receive a daily wage, but the challenges are mounting in an increasingly strained labor market.

Activity in key sectors such as construction and services has dropped sharply, largely due to the suspension of several international initiatives, including those backed by the World Bank. As a result, income opportunities have narrowed for those who rely primarily on daily wages.

Meanwhile, the widening impact of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the disruption caused along the key Strait of Hormuz -- a key shipping route for global trade -- has brought more misery in recent weeks.

"There has been a significant decline in business activity as a result of the war, the blockade, and the disruption of work. Foreign capital has also left the country, and large companies have moved out of Yemen and stopped their operations. This is one of the main reasons," said Abdul Karim Al, secretary general of the General Federation of Trade Unions in Sana'a.

Yemen residents struggling to survive as work dries up amid deepening labor crisis