KCS OIL-PAPER UMBRELLA STUDIO
Walking through the streets of Taiwan, you’re bound to take notice of the number of umbrellas that appear around you, even on perfectly sunny days. Taiwan’s unique fascination with umbrellas can be traced back to the age of fashionable oil-paper umbrellas.
Oil-paper umbrellas, in addition to being practical and offering shade from the sun, also bear symbolic meaning in Hakka marriages. In Hakka, “oil-paper” is a homonym for “to have a son”, and the Chinese character for “umbrella” is reminiscent of a large family. Historically, it was common for the bride’s parents to offer an oil-paper umbrella as a dowry to the husband’s family.
During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan in the 20th century, the industrious citizens of the Hakka center of Meinong—then known as the land of intellectuals—sought to import the Chinese craft of oil-paper umbrellas to benefit local industry. Today, of the 70 Hakka villages in Taiwan, Meinong’s community is uniquely renowned for this vibrant traditional art.
KCS Oil-Paper Umbrella Studio (KCS is short for Kuang Chin Sheng, also written as Guang Jin Sheng), is one of the last workshops in Meinong Township striving to preserve this traditional craft. The owners, Lin Rong Jun and Wu Jian Ying, are second-generation artisans and a husband-and-wife team who are passionate about passing on this Hakka tradition to a third generation.
In order to attract the eyes of modern consumers, they have updated their designs with the use of special techniques—they now integrate various elements like the vivid colors found in Western painting, indigo dyeing techniques, papercutting, and woodblock printing. One eye-catching pattern combines traditional Hakka indigo dyeing with the transparency of paper, the resulting fusion of fashion and elegance is reminiscent of installation art.
KCS Oil-Paper Umbrella Studio’s artistic innovations have even attracted the eyes of the Lady Gaga of Asia, Jolin Tsai. Indeed, their power to inspire modern art is a testament to the timelessness of this traditional craft.
For those that enjoy painting and artisanal handicrafts, make sure to commemorate your visit by crafting an oil-paper umbrella of your own at one of KCS Oil-Paper Umbrella Studio’s DIY workshops. Remember to schedule in advance.
The town of Meinong is filled with many other Hakka cultural experiences. Just nearby is the famous Meinong Lin’s Flat Noodles restaurant, which serves delicious Hakka rice noodles with a modern twist!
If you’re keen on finding more activities in Kaohsiung, please refer to “Things to do in Kaohsiung.”
