Crafting traditional oil paper umbrella☂️ from natures 🌱

Every stage of creation relies entirely on raw botanical materials and mineral alchemy. The master craftsman splits resilient bamboo to shape the flexible ribs and tiny wooden toggles (Zhutiao), assembling the intricate folding framework. Ground natural minerals-from vermilion cinnabar to malachite greens and azurite blues—are mixed to form rich, fade- resistant dyes painted directly onto fibrous bark paper. Once coated with boiled tung oil to render the paper fully waterproof and translucent, the finished umbrellas display a rainbow array of jewel tones across the courtyard, exemplifying time-tested utility, artistic elegance, and intangible cultural heritage.