QR code made of bamboo links Asian Games torch relay

Ma Jilin, an elderly intangible cultural heritage inheritor in Deqing county of Huzhou, Zhejiang province, has woven a bamboo QR code that can be scanned to participate in the online torch relay of the upcoming Asian Games.

In ancient Deqing county, 50 kilometers from Hangzhou, Ma, 78, has carefully studied the layout of the QR code to ensure that his bamboo version can be scanned.

The first QR code for the online torch relay of the Asian Games didn't function well, Ma said, so he had to make another one.

He added that the bamboo strips he uses can neither be too thick nor too thin, and they must be aligned horizontally and vertically.

"We must support this grand event, which will take place on our doorstep," Ma said.

Several competitions will be held in Deqing, and it was his responsibility to welcome the Asian Games and protect traditional handicrafts.

Born into a family of bamboo weavers, Ma Youbao, Ma's grandfather, once opened a shop in the town, mainly making bamboo baskets, silkworm plaques and other living utensils and agricultural tools. He earned a reputation for quality and beauty.

After Ma Jilin retired from the factory, he devoted himself to honing skills in bamboo weaving and developing a range of woven bamboo products.

After generations of development and inheritance, the bamboo weavers in Ma's family have formed their own unique style. In 2019, the weaving by Ma's family was listed as an intangible cultural heritage in Huzhou.

"Bamboo weaving is an indispensable part of our cultural heritage," Ma said. "This traditional skill belonging to our ancestors cannot be allowed to vanish."

The Asian Games will take place between Sept 23 and Oct 8 in Hangzhou and five other cities in Zhejiang province — Ningbo, Wenzhou, Jinhua, Shaoxing and Huzhou.

Watch the video to enjoy Ma's skills in bamboo weaving.

Fang Xiaoying and Zhang Jiabi contributed to this story.