Biji Lane: Home of Changzhou's Traditional Handcrafted Combs
Historically, Changzhou has been known for chiefly producing three things. First, intellectuals. For thousands of years, people from this city have done well while taking the imperial exams. The guy who created pinyin once lived here, and Zhao Yuanren, one of the most important scholars in teaching modern Chinese in America, also came from here. Second, there is a long tradition in manufacturing textiles, and that continues on. Third, hand crafted wooden combs. This craft has a two thousand year history in Changzhou. Like textiles, it continues on. It can be seen in Biiji Lane, a small little between the Injoy Shopping Plaza and the Grand Canal. I went there for a stroll there today.
This is the door to the "Biji Comb Musuem." It's not really a musuem. It's a shop that sells these combs, and the price for these things can get up into the hundreds and thousands of dollars.
In a limited way, they also sell one of Changzhou's other famous handicraft: bamboo carvings.
I often buy the combs and take them back to the USA when I go back every summer. However, I don't buy the expensive ones. I buy ones off of spinning racks. You know, cheapo ones. And the people receiving them as gifts know I'm being a pinchpenny. Any time you get something in a plastic wrapper and not a display case, you know it came from a bargain rack. The people who receive them largely don't care. Most times, they didn't even know Changzhou combs existed before I gave them one. And it's not even like they can get the knock offs in America anyway.
Thank you very much for sharing a part of your culture with us. The combs are surprisingly expensive, yet equally beautiful. Are the quality ones made out of bones, woods, shells?
Namaste :)
They are mostly carved from wood. Though, I think I saw one jade one. That one was super expensive.
LOL! Maybe it was so expensive because it came from Northern British Columbia!?! LOL!!! thanks for the extra details. Have a great day and namaste :)
The combs are more of art than come. Guess it's not cheap by local standard too.
I didn't take pictures of the some of the more expensive ones. I also didn't take pictures of the elaborate hair pins ... since the post was about combs. And the hair pins didn't photograph well. That's the real realson I didn't include them, I guess. =)
Yes, i guess hairpins require a more proper camera
My current phone is an Oppo R9 Plus. I bought it for the camera. The magazine I write for thinks I take pictures with a professional camera ... it's that good. But, it still has its limitation. The hair pins (and most night shots) are proof of that.
Ah.. i heard the specs for the camera is good. There was an ad i saw that mentioned it charges in 5minutes. Is there any truth in that?
If you have the right wall VOOC wall charger. I lost mine and bought a generic one, and now it charges like any other phone.
very interesting trip!