IN communities along the southern part of the Yangtze River, bamboo is a major part of people's daily life. Before Wuzhen, a town in China's eastern Zhejiang province, became famous for its tourism and the World Internet Conference, it was renowned for its centuries-old practice of bamboo weaving.

Bamboo weaving in Wuzhen has made a name for itself since the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). At that time, several craftsmen of the town were invited to serve at China's imperial court. Later, the number of its practitioners, bamboo warehouses and factories in the town grew. Bamboo weaving as a trade became one of Wuzhen's top businesses.