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Shining ethnic handicrafts
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John Woo
THE China Ethnic Commodities Trade Fair ended yesterday, having filled the China Hi-Tech Fair Exhibition Centre with exotic colours and scents of fascinating handicrafts produced by ethnic minorities from every corner of China.
One young woman, who called herself "a farmer's daughter", exhibited her works that included paintings made of wheat-straw, wax printings and embroideries, all created by hand. Some of the straw works carry human likenesses. Straw gives the paintings natural lines and luster. Also colourful, those paintings are without chemicals and are therefore non-toxic. "They are not only art works, but my dreams," said the woman.
Beijing's palace lanterns, already famous throughout the world, took on a more innovative appearance at the fair. This time the lantern makers combined traditional Chinese calligraphy and water-ink paintings in creating the lanterns, giving them a literary feel.
Danzhai County in Guizhou Province enjoys a long history in making bamboo ware -- containers for food, liquor and tea, lamp stands, flower vases, paintings, and so on. The county's brochure says in the old days many of the products were sent to the imperial court as tribute and nowadays they are exported to the USA, Japan, Singapore and other countries. True to form, Danzhai showed off a large variety of its products at the fair.
Other specialties at the fair included Beijing silk figurines, Yuannan tinware and various costumes of minority groups.
Other specialties at the fair included Beijing silk figurines, Yuannan tinware and various costumes of minority groups.
Other specialties at the fair included Beijing silk figurines, Yuannan tinware and various costumes of minority groups.
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