Dongxiang nationality felt rolling skills
As early as the Yuan Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty, the process of rolling felt existed in Dongxiang, which was a skill brought by the ancestors of the Dongxiang people from Central Asia. As a traditional craft of the Dongxiang people, felt has a long history of being used in the Dongxiang area and is extremely common. It is a must-have kang supplies for Dongxiang families. In its heyday, many men among the Dongxiang ethnic group could roll felt.
Making wool felt is achieved
rolling felt. This craft began in the Yuan Dynasty and was brought by a large number of Central Asian Sarta craftsmen who were recruited and relocated, and was later rapidly popularized in Dongxiang Autonomous County. However, due to limitations such as natural economy, rolling felt has never been able to enter the local handicraft market and is mainly self-sufficient. During the Republic of China, the rolling felt industry developed rapidly. The northern and southern ridges were famous, and there were more than 500 feltmakers in Longquan and Dongling areas.
Dongxiang people are good at raising sheep, and the use of felt is extremely common. Therefore, rolling felt is very popular among the Dongxiang people. Almost every man is good at this. Many Dongxiang feltmakers also traveled to Subei, and even Qinghai, Xinjiang and other places to make felt-rolling.
There are many types of felt among the Dongxiang people. According to the type of wool, there are spring felt, sand felt, cotton felt, etc.; according to the specifications, there are 46 felt, which is 4 feet wide and 6 feet long), 57 felt, single felt and worshiping felt used by Muslims for worship, etc.; according to the color, there are white felt, flower felt, red felt, tile green felt, etc.
There are mainly three tools used by the Dongxiang people to roll felt, namely the so-called "three treasures of the felt maker: slingshot, bamboo curtain, and willow strip." Although the tools are simple, the felt-making process is very complex, which is divided into hair-blowing, felt-rolling, felt-washing, etc. Among them, peeling, washing and kneading edge are very technical, especially the last process of kneading the felt edge is the most important. Because uneven felt edges cannot be cut with scissors, they can only be kneaded by hand. People without rich experience and superb craftsmanship cannot make straight and ribbed felt edges.
网站图片位Rolling felt plays a vital role in the production and life of the Dongxiang people, and is often used as a dowry for girls who marry. The kang is covered with white and thick rolling felt, which is a symbol of family prosperity, and the superb rolling skills are something to be proud of. In addition to being used on the kang, felt can also be made into felt clothes, felt hats, felt shoes, felt saddles and other forms. It has good moisture-proof and warm insulation effect and is suitable for the climate and environment of northwest China, especially rural areas.
Currently, Dongxiang County has built two rolling felt inheritance bases in Longquan Township, which has better protected and passed down the rolling skills.