Traditional bamboo craftsmanship is taking on new forms in Anji county, Huzhou, Zhejiang province, as a veteran artisan preserves intricate carving techniques while a younger entrepreneur develops bamboo furniture for new markets.

At a bamboo carving studio in the Bamboo Museum, Lou Zailiang, a city-level inheritor of traditional bamboo carving, creates detailed works using carving knives and other hand tools.

Now in his 60s, Lou has worked with bamboo for decades, producing bamboo root carvings, carved bamboo couplets, engraved fans, and decorative pieces.

Some designs are carved into the outer green layer of bamboo, which can be less than 1 millimeter thick. Lou has also trained apprentices, while visitors often stop by his studio to watch the carving process and take part in hands-on activities.

Traditional-style bamboo furniture is displayed at a showroom. [Photo/WeChat account: anjifb]

A younger generation is taking a different approach. Huang Weicai, an entrepreneur in Dipu subdistrict, began with small bamboo tea wares before turning to furniture.

After seeing furniture in a Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) painting series commonly known as the Twelve Beauties, Huang and his team began recreating the designs in bamboo, starting with a traditional-style round-back armchair. Shaping the curve of a single chair can take as long as two months.

His business now has an integrated chain covering design, production, and livestream sales, with products ranging from bamboo furniture and collectibles to tea wares.