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Gaozhou craftsman makes paper boats for Nian Li celebrations

In the first and second months of lunar calendar, Nian Li is being celebrated around the city of Maoming. For Master Liu Weijin who is specialized in making paper boat for Nian Li celebration, he is extremely busy during this period.

Born and living in Shatian Town, Liu Weijin is a famous craftsman for making good paper boat for Nian Li celebration in Gaozhou. Liu inherited the craftsmanship from his parents who learned from his grandparents. Now Liu makes more than 100 paper boats for different villages every year.

The paper boat for Nian Li celebration is also called “flower dragon paper boat” in Gaozhou. People carry a flower dragon paper boat in the parade during Nian Li, and burn it after all the celebrations at the end of the day, hoping to expel plague, get rid of demon and praying for peace, prosperity, good weather and good life.

Due to complicated craftsmanship and too many procedures, Liu has to start making the boats months ahead Nian Li period.

The boats are different in shapes and sizes in different villages. Generally speaking, it is about 4 meters long, and 6 meters tall.

A flower dragon paper boat is usually made of paper, bamboo and wood. It is composed of three parts, namely castle, hull and sedan. It is supported by the sedan which should be made super solidly, so it can be put on the floor steadily and be carried around and around at a high intensity.

The craftsmanship involves painting, calligraphy, paper cutting, embroidering, bamboo weaving and so on. Procedures contain choosing materials, chopping bamboo, drying the materials, splitting the bamboo, shaping the boat, cutting paper mold, carving patterns, painting patterns and animal images, pasting paper dolls, embroidering flowers and so on.

Because the boat is very large, it is hard to store or transport in whole. Therefore, it is usually divided into parts for storage and transportation.


Liu’s house is also his workshop, piled up with semi-finished boats. His wife is helping him with pasting a boat with paper. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

All the patterns on the boat are painted, cut, shaped and pasted by Liu personally. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


Many white paper flowers are pasted on the boat, because villagers want to get these flowers during the parade, which carries the meaning of begetting sons. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

Liu has to deliver two boats in one day. The smaller one will be sent to Chetouyuan Village, Baoguang Community, over 10 kilometers away from Liu’s house. The bigger one will be shipped to Wangjiudi Village in Hetang Town. Both villages celebrate Nian Li on the same day. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


Liu divides the small boat into two parts which are loaded on the van. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

He is taking the boat to Chetouyuan Village. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


After arriving at Chetouyuan Village, Liu unloads the boat and installs it in front of the temple. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

Liu cautiously puts the decorations and paper dolls onto the boat. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


In about 20 minutes, Liu finishes assembling the boat. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

A villager gives a red envelop to Liu for installing the boat. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


Do in Rome as Rome does. Liu goes into the temple to kowtow to bodhisatvas. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

The villagers invite Liu to have lunch. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


Liu goes back to his house in Shatian Country Fair, and loads the bigger boat into the van, then goes to Wangjiudi Village in Hetang Town, Gaozhou. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

When passes Dali Village which is celebrating Nian Li, the van is stuck in the traffic for about half an hour. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


When the van arrives at Wangjiudi village, the drooping branches along the road block the way. Liu climbs up on the roof of the van to get rid of the branches. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

When the van passes a venue specially prepared for Nian Li in the village, the boat is blocked by the colorful bunting overhead. Liu uses a long bamboo pole to prop up the bunting to let the van and the boat get through. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]


After the boat is transported to specific venue in Wangjiudi Village, it is installed immediately. Villagers come over to watch Liu install the boat. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

When Liu leaves Wangjiudi Village, it is already evening. [Photo: Maoming Daily/Huang Xintao]

(By Monica)

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