University postgraduates promote traditional comb-making technique

Baixiang combs that are shaped like the Four Beauties of Ancient China. [Photo/ourjiangsu.com]

A group of postgraduates from Jiangsu University of Science and Technology in Zhenjiang, East China's Jiangsu province recently conducted field research about Baixiang combs with the aim of boosting the innovative development of the traditional comb-making technique.

Baixiang, which literally means "white elephant", was recognized as a time-honored brand by the Ministry of Commerce in 2011. It won a gold prize in the Sesquicentennial International Exposition held in Philadelphia, the United States, in 1926.

The postgraduates learned about the comb-making technique, which combines Chinese painting, pyrography, ivory carving, and shell carving, at the Changzhou Longcheng Comb Museum.

They found that impacted by assembly line production and modernization, the traditional technique is about to go extinct. Zhu Qinwen, a member of the research team, said that making a comb the traditional way requires six people who have to perform more than 70 steps. As such, those from the younger generation have little interest in passing down the technique and most inheritors are older than 60.

To address the situation, comb makers in Changzhou have designed new packaging and products that appeal to today's customers. They have also leveraged online shopping platforms to boost sales.

More measures, including showcasing the elaborate production process to the public and telling stories of artisans, can also be taken to help preserve the intangible cultural heritage, said Chen Guoqing, another member of the team.

Several postgraduates from Jiangsu University of Science and Technology do research about traditional comb-making technique. [Photo/ourjiangsu.com]

The research team has also proposed many other methods, such as offering personalized design and launching interesting marketing campaigns, to revive interest in the traditional craft.