Tianzhu chopsticks
Originating from Tianzhu Mountain, Hangzhou, Tianzhu chopsticks are one of the intangible cultural heritage of Hangzhou. It is said that during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the Tianzhu Temple located on the Tianzhu Mountain, the monks in the temple would go to the mountain to take bamboo chopsticks for pilgrims to eat and eat, so the chopsticks have the name of "Tianzhu". Some pilgrims prayed for the safety of their families through chopsticks, and bought large quantities of chopsticks to give to relatives and friends, making Tianzhu chopsticks famous. In the early days of the Republic of China, the Tianzhu chopsticks industry has made great progress, and there are more than ten Tianzhu chopsticks workshops in Dajing Lane alone (next to the drum tower at the northeast foot of Wushan Mountain). At that time, Song Meiling, the first lady of the Republic of China, gave Tianzhu chopsticks as a national gift to dignitaries and envoys from various countries.
Tianzhu chopsticks are exquisitely selected and delicately made. One to two years of natural fine bamboo is selected as raw material, and it can only be produced after steaming and degreasing, drawing, grinding head, branding, rolling chopsticks, foot grinding, pairing and other processes, without adding paint and paint. The color of each pair of chopsticks is bright, and the uniform wood grain of the chopstick body can be seen. Chopsticks hats, seal carvings, paintings and other elements decorate the chopsticks body, which gives Tianzhu chopsticks a strong cultural atmosphere.
In the eighties of the last century, mechanical chopsticks dealt a serious blow to the development of Tianzhu chopsticks. A large number of chopstick-making workshops closed down, making Tianzhu chopsticks disappear for a time. Wang Liandao, the fifth-generation successor of Tianzhu chopsticks, in order to revive the reputation of Tianzhu chopsticks, reorganized and established Hangzhou Tianzhu Chopsticks Factory in 2006 and established the Tianzhu Mountain brand. The introduction of mechanical chopsticks and the improvement of production technology have enabled Tianzhu chopsticks to be mass-produced. At present, authentic Tianzhu chopsticks rarely appear in various tourist areas, and only Tianzhu chopsticks store at No. 93 Qingchun Road, Shangcheng District provides special sales. Most products can be purchased for less than 100 yuan.
Purchase address: some specialty supermarkets, Qingchun Road Tianzhu chopsticks store
