Friday 25 November 2011

Meinong paper umbrellas 美濃油紙傘



林榮君老師

我對紙傘,手工傘有很深厚的情感。住日本時,乾媽就是拿了一把有流疏的手工傘教我怎麼穿著禮服,採著高跟鞋走路的。那個時候怕得要死。不過學會怎麼走路,第一次到了京都發現,紙傘好優雅,好有味道。

但發現在台灣很多人覺得送傘,會讓人與人之間的感情「散」,但我一直想說這好可惜,因為雨傘,尤其是紙傘多美麗啊!為什麼不能送人? 

美濃油紙傘師傅們就教我這樣說:
傘的形狀是圓形,所以可以祝人事事「圓圓滿滿」
油紙的諧音「有子」,也就是「生子」
「傘」這個字裡面有很多「人」,所以可以說傘能讓人「多子多孫」




My apartment looks like an umbrella shop right now! The two in the back are from Kyoto - they're my first paper umbrellas. But not all of these are mine. Well, all but four (friends and relatives wanted me to bring some back for them when I was in  Meinong 美濃). The craftsmen, 林老師 and his wife 吳老師 are too busy making umbrellas, speeches and teaching to update their prehistoric website, so the latest designs are not on there.


So you see that I'm a big fan of 廣進勝's paper umbrellas. I use them rain or shine as an umbrella or parasol (dark ones I use as parasols). I also appreciate very much the couple that makes them. They do almost everything by hand, including the splitting of the bamboo frame. They are second generation umbrella makers, and now passing the tradition on to their son.

Meinong is known as a Hakka town famous for its paper umbrellas and large size ceramics.

http://www.shop2000.com.tw/美濃油紙傘/

Oh, if you visit the shop, you can also try your hand at making a mini umbrella or painting one that you can actually use later on!



Canon Kiss X3
EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM (photos 1 and 3)
EF 35mm f/1.4L USM (photo 2)
Aperture

3 comments:

Bryan said...

Very cool. Meinong is near to Fo guan shan, correct? I believe that I visited there last year and picked up some paper umbrellas myself, but do not believe that they were from the same shop that you profile. In any case, I enjoy the travelogues. Thanks.

Bryan

Unknown said...

Thanks as always, Bryan.

There are quite a few paper umbrella shops in Meinong. Maybe it is near Foguangshan. I've never been, but they're both in Kaohsiung.

Curious though, do you actually use the umbrellas? People don't believe me when I say that I do.

Bryan said...

Michella,

Nope - not actually used. Just for decoration. :)