Alluring Artworks from Straws

The straw patchwork is basically an art of "cut-and-paste", just like paper-cuts. There is a series of complicated procedures to make wheat straw a beautiful artwork. With its unique luster, the straw patchwork is of high value both for decoration and esthetics. Human figures, birds and flowers as well as animals on the patchwork are all very lifelike, revealing an elegant and classic demeanor.

The straw patchwork was originally an imperial art craft during the Sui Dynasty (581-618) but later was lost for a long time. It first reappeared in Henan, Guangdong and Heilongjiang provinces. In 1980s, folk artist Liu Limin revived the art form after many failed attempts.

Liu lives in Henan Province, a place teeming with wheat, which provides good resources for the straw patchwork. The village where she lives has a tradition of producing various crafts made of wheat straw for more than 250 years. Here, Liu began to weave up her own dream of reviving the ancient art of straw patchwork. For more than five years, she has endeavored to make all kinds of experiments. With her imagination and artistic knowledge, she finally summed up a set of manufacture procedures, reviving the long-lost art form.