Oroqen Birch Bark Products
China''s Central Region, since entered the Neolithic period, as the agriculture economic development, people invented the techniques of firing pottery, pottery become the food bowls at very beginning and tools after. The north fishing and hunting nation has big different, because of geographical, economic are differences, they invented the techniques by use of birch bark made of utensils for life, and inherited from the ancient.
There has recording about china northern nation fishing and hunting, are renowned for a long time ago in ancient texts, such as 《Northern History Shiwei Biography》,In the Northern North Shiwei people used birch covered house; 《Ming dynasty rule》recorded that nvzhen people used birch for house；《Jin dynasty History》 recorded that jin people used birch bark for horn" (to use birch bark to do whistle)During Qing dynasty, 《Besides Heilongjiang》 recorded that " more birch in the valley which made house、birch boat and implements(Big one for water small one for rice and flowers) called birch implements.
Birch bark to be life appliances have long history in China confirmed by archaeological excavation.According to the unearthed birch containers found at Ning County, Heilongjiang Province, Jingpo lake side, about three thousand years ago;In 1959, at Hulunbeier Manzhouli bar to Noll''s a Xianbei tombs found 4 birch bark containers;Even more interesting was that in 1977, in Heilongjiang Province Baijin Bao site unearthed an imitation leather device pottery which was muddy brown, barrel-shaped, we could clearly saw that was well-ceramics imitation of birch bark texture and "docking", "suture" form, so that we could saw what was the "birch bark bucket" looks like, by the determination it about three thousand years ago.
Birch bark containers with the nomadic life of Oroqen, from ancient to the last century 50''s, it was very special phenomenon.The mainly reason was the economy of nomadic Oroqen, the regional followed, as the ancient said, " Oroqen suitable for birchBirch forest occupied 20% of the forest totally, birch bark resources was rich and with soft, sheets into pieces, easy to process and water prove;Birch bark products have the characteristics which is light and not afraid to bump. Therefore, the birch bark products have important position in Oroqen hunting life, clothing, eating, camping and traveling can not done without birch bark.According to 《塑方备乘》recorded that in ancient when there have no pot, pork and water were placed in the birch bucket, and then put into the red-hot stones with heated, repeated dozens of times till the water boiled, meat done as well.Of course, this refers to northern nation hunting and fishingin generally, including Oroqen ancestors.
In the period of bow and bar-gun, birch bark was very important production tool for Oroqen people.It was said that when jail hunting, hunting equipment were birch boat and bar-gun,The way is: in the evening or early morning, when jail near to the water and eating aquatic plants, the head closely into the water, then the hunters who hidden in the side would be armed with guns and gently plan the birch boat close to the jail, and throw the bar-gun to jail’s heart.After Oroqen have horses and guns, birch boat still very important for them.Summer hunting, they usually do not ride horse, but let them have good rest to prepare for winter hunting, so designated by birch boat hunting, and after hitting the prey, and then shipped back with birch boat.
Oroqen’s summer housing was “birch bark house” as document recorded.This housing called "xierenzhu" in Oroqen language, commonly known as "the pillar of immortal", the cover was made with birch bark called "Tiekesha".Oroqen people have another high-foot warehouse called "Oran", the cover also made of birch bark.
Birch bark productions around Oroqen’s life, could saw everywhere. For example, birch trunk for bride "Edamala" (with rectangular or round and conical);needlework box (Ao Wusha);Round tip boxes fitted hat (Maoli Chun), installed dried meat, berries and food stuff which was large birch bucket (basket) "Kami"Other birch box with religious artifacts "Mata"; small birch productions are: Tea boxes, cigarette boxes, ammunition boxes and the "deer whistle" "roe deer whistle" made of birch; miscellaneous pieces of hat , cradle and bags and so on.
The birch bark implements mainly completed by women, striping bark was done by women, the men only did it when marking birch bark boat.Is the best season for striping birch bark during May-June each year.This period is filling time for birch, moisture full of birch bark and the trunk, easily to strip the bark but inside of the trunk without injury.The method to strip birch bark is: choose the trunk with more straight, thickness of 30 cm or more, down two laps with a hunting knife before striping the bark, then opened a straight line between the two laps, then bark will split along the line, slowly peel down the crack with hunting knife, birch bark will fall off, but have to do some treatment before starting production.
The Oroqen birch productions was formed under the specific historical conditions, it was not just the implements for people living, but also contains the spirit and history of the Oroqen Nation, has a unique meaning and aesthetic value of humanities.