Artisan dedicated to reviving oil-paper umbrella making in SW China's Sichuan

Bi Liufu works on an oil-paper umbrella in Fenshuiling township, Luzhou city, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo/Bi Yuanshen)

Bi Liufu, a 68-year-old national-level inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of the Fenshui oil-paper umbrella making craft, demonstrated his skill by putting up a 50-kilogram umbrella with a diameter of 3.5 meters at the Oil-paper Umbrella Museum in Fenshuiling township, Luzhou city, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The Fenshui oil-paper umbrella is China's only fully handmade umbrella of its kind. Each handmade Fenshui oil-paper umbrella requires 96 meticulous steps and uses carefully selected materials, including 3-year-old bamboo grown on sunny slopes to ensure strength and flexibility, and wood of specific tree species.

"All materials must be prepared before the rainy season to prevent excess moisture, which could affect the umbrella's quality," Bi explained.

Bi is the sixth-generation inheritor of the craft in his family. As a child, he and his elder sister helped their elders with tasks like threading and polishing bamboo, gradually learning the entire craft.

In the 1980s and '90s, the rise of nylon umbrellas led to a decline in the oil-paper umbrella industry. As head of the Fenshui Oil-paper Umbrella Factory, Bi once tried cutting costs by replacing traditional tung oil with chemical oil. The move backfired — the umbrella cloth turned sticky, and orders were returned. Learning from the setback, Bi switched back to tung oil.

His dedication paid off. In 2008, the making of the Fenshui oil-paper umbrella was designated a national intangible cultural heritage. With government support and media attention, the craft regained its reputation.

While preserving tradition, Bi also explores the cultural depth behind the umbrellas. To connect with younger generations, he and his team have developed nearly 1,000 new designs, featuring themes such as Peking Opera masks, giant pandas, and others.

Today, Luzhou's oil-paper umbrella industry generates over 30 million yuan (about $4.14 million) annually, and the number of umbrella brands has grown from one to 15. As the industry flourishes, an oil-paper umbrella production chain has emerged across the province.