The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Rubbing and Dyeing, also known as plant tapping and dyeing or beaten grass printing, has a long Chinese historical and significant cultural meaning. In order to promote the culture and inheritance of this intangible cultural heritage of the Chinese nation, on the afternoon of December 7, 2024, 17 children from the Fifth Community of Fengpu Street, organized by the Shanghai Youdao Public Welfare Service Center, learned about it all.
At the beginning of the event, volunteer teachers from Shanghai Normal University explained the origin, inheritance and artistic characteristics of plant tapping and dyeing to the children and explained in detail the production methods and materials required. Then the volunteer teachers also demonstrated to the children just how it is done.
Then the children themselves used leaves, flowers, white canvas bags and other materials to start the plant tapping and dyeing journey. Everyone used their imagination to place leaves and flowers on the bags – different combinations of flowers and leaves in different beautiful arrangements. After everything was in place, tape was stuck on the plants to prevent them from shifting, and they were tapped with a small hammer. A rhythmic knocking sound rang out at the event site, as the original liquid from the flowers and leaves penetrated the canvas little by little, forming a colorful and unique bag.
The children used the rubbing, tapping and dyeing process to record the beauty of the season, and experience a new window on Chinese culture, while at the same time helping them discover and create beauty from the world around them.