Keeping the age-old tradition of rush weaving alive

Juncus effusus, aka soft rush, grows mainly to the south of Yuanli River and north of Da'an River. Planted in the same way as rice, in the rush-weaving heyday in Taiwan, there were dozens of hectares of rush fields. According to statistics from Taiwan Yuan-li Handiwork Association, there is only one hectare of planted rush remaining today.

To raise awareness about the traditional rush-weaving culture in Taiwan, enthusiasts of the craft have not only cooperated with elementary schools but also provided guided tours, in-depth DIY activities, and organized exhibitions of various sizes at home and abroad. However, as rush weaving is a handcraft that takes many years to master, few young people are willing to adopt it as a profession and so passing on this craft still faces many challenges. Perhaps rush weaving may never return to its former glory days, but it would be sad to see this old tradition vanish into the sands of time. Hopefully, through the joint efforts of NGOs and government departments, the culture of rush weaving will remain alive and kicking for future generations to enjoy in Taiwan.  

以下為中文對照

藺草主要生長在大安溪以北苑裡溪以南的地方，和水稻一樣是以插秧方式種植，以前興盛的時期，藺草田有幾十公頃，而根據台灣藺草學會統計，截至目前，苑裡種植藺草的面積只剩1公頃多。

為了讓更多人認識藺編文化，除了和國小合作外，也透過導覽、深度體驗、在國內、外舉辦各種大小展覽。但由於藺編強調手工而使許多年輕人不願意繼承，加上學習藺編需要時間，因此傳承仍有難度。或許藺編工藝無法回到昔日的興盛，但這項百年傳統不該被遺忘，希望透過民間及政府的努力，才能讓藺編文化延續下去。