A Bamboo Weaving Craftsman in a Small Town

四十余年的篾匠生涯，给毛君芳的双手留下了深深的印记。正是这双手让他承担起一个家庭的重任，将儿子供养到大学。Forty years working as a bamboo craftsman has left deep calluses in Mao Junfang’s hands. It is this pair of hands that has enabled him to shoulder his responsibilities and support his son through college.毛君芳是浙江省宁波市海曙区鄞江镇悬慈村人。1974年，17岁的毛君芳正式跟随篾匠父亲学做竹编，两年后出师，开始走街串巷叫卖竹编。Mao Junfang is a bamboo craftsman from Xuanci Village, Yinjiang Town, Haishu District of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. In 1974, at the age of 17, he began to learn how to make bamboo crafts from his father. He finished his apprenticeship two years later and started to sell bamboo weaving handicrafts as a street vendor.患有小儿麻痹症的毛君芳，腿脚不是很灵便，但依然走过鄞州不少的山山水水。Despite having weak lower limbs as a result of poliomyelitis, Mao Junfang has still managed to see a lot of Yinzhou.十年前，单纯做竹编已难以养家。毛君芳不得不在镇上一家汽配厂做门卫，干一天休一天。休息日时，毛君芳就在家里做竹编。Ten years ago, making bamboo weaving handicrafts could not make ends meet for the family, so he had to work as a gatekeeper for an auto

parts break, factory. Mao would He could make take bamboo a one-day handicrafts break every at home. other day. During his十几米长的毛竹，在毛君芳的手下，经过砍、锯、切、剖、拉、撬、编、织、削、磨等工序，变成了蒸笼、箩筐、米筛、食罩、篾席、土箕等居家用品。An over 10-meter-long moso bamboo can be magically turned by Mao Junfang into food steamers, baskets, rice sieves, food covers, bamboo mattresses, dustpans, and other kinds of utensils after completing a process of chopping, sawing, cutting, dissecting, pulling, prying, weaving, knitting, peeling, polishing, etc.凭借精湛的手艺和淳朴的性格，毛君芳在乡民那里赢得了口碑。他还多次被推选参加宁波市乃至浙江省残疾人技能竞赛，在竹编项目中获得优异的成绩。With his fine craftsmanship and easy going personality, Mao Junfang has won great recognition among his fellow countrymen. He has also been recommended many times to attend the skill competitions for disabled people in Ningbo City and even the whole province of Zhejiang, in which he won great prizes for his bamboo weaving crafts.竹编是个慢工出细活的手艺，做篾匠要吃得了苦，耐得住性子。毛君芳每天清晨六点多就要起来干活，晚上九点多收工，一天做不了几件器具。Bamboo weaving handicrafts require both skills and patience. A bamboo craftsman must be both hardworking and tenacious. Every day, Mao Junfang gets up and begins his work at 6 a.m., and knocks off after 9 p.m. He can make only a few pieces per day.毛君芳所用的索钻是他刚入行时好朋友送的，陪伴他已四十余年。The cable driller Mao still uses today was a gift he received from a good friend when he had just started his career. It has accompanied him for over 40 years.毛君芳说自己能做出经久耐用的竹编并得到夸赞，已经满足。他不会招徒弟，自己苦不想别人也苦。Mao says he is very satisfied with being able to make durable bamboo weaving handicrafts and win people’ recognition. He says he will not take on any apprentice because he does not want anyone to experience the same hard life he has gone through.