Bamboo has long been a symbol of longevity in Chinese culture. The earliest literature records indicate that bamboo provided inspiration for writers, musicians and artists, and still does today. It is known as one of the “three friends of winter” (along with pine and plum) and one of the “four gentlemen” along with the orchard, plum and chrysanthemum. Both are well-known proverbs and themes for many traditional paintings and ceramics.
Walking through a bamboo garden, it is easy to feel a kind of comfort as the wispy leaves softly rustle in the breeze.
In literature dating back thousands of years, bamboo possesses life-generating properties. One Chinese myth reads that humans and bamboo were born of the same blood. Celebrated writer from the Song Dynasty Su Dongpo once said, he "would rather eat no meat than live without bamboo." Therefore, clumps of jade green bamboo are respected for their beauty and ability to mold a person’s noble sentiments.
Characteristics of Bamboo
Bamboo is a member of the grass family and grows mostly in tropical and subtropical to warm temperate regions; the highest concentration is in East and Southeast Asia, around the Indian Ocean and the Pacific islands.
Although it doesn’t possess the splendid beauty of the plum blossom or the evergreen of the pine, it is dependable and sturdy, modestly elegant, simple and low-maintenance. Its integrity and reliability make it a much-admired gift from Mother Nature.
There are many species of bamboo. The largest can be found in the south of China’s Yunnan province and grows to a height of 30m with a diameter up to 30cm. The smallest grows to a height of only 10-30cm. Needle bamboo is a vine-like species found in Western Yunnan and is mostly used in weaving and the production of raw hemp materials. In Tanzania, local farmers use the juice of the bamboo shoots to produce wine.
China’s most important economic species accounts for 70% of the total area of bamboo. Growing up to 20m high with a diameter of 18cm, it grows south of the Qinling Mountains over an area of 3 million hectares.
However, there are around 250 species around the world with less than 2000 sq km remaining.
Bamboo Cultivation
Consistent growth of bamboo relies on regular harvesting. Plantations that are regularly harvested grow faster and become several times more productive while those that are not often harvested grow more slowly.
The bamboo stem can be harvested after 3 years and no more than 7 years, depending on the species. The bamboo used in construction is strongest when sap sugar levels are lowest as the high concentration of sugar attracts pests.
Many Uses of Bamboo
With its highly versatile and sustainable properties, it is no wonder the plant is so highly respected. For thousands of years, bamboo has been used for building materials, musical instruments, religious totems, medicine, cooking utensils, paper, yarns and fabric, tools and food.
The medicinal benefits of bamboo are widely documented in China in the Compendium of Materia Medica. Bamboo shoots are used in the treatment of Diabetes. Bamboo leaves are known to have healing properties for irritability, urinary infection, mouth sores, headache, insomnia and stroke. Modern studies have shown that bamboo shares similar nutritional content as rice, corn and wheat in that it is rich in starch, fat, protein and amino acids.
Due to its ability to thrive with little water and maintenance, it is grown organically requiring no pesticides.
Bamboo makes a sustainable substitute for wood as it is incredibly strong yet flexible. Bamboo homes can still be seen throughout Southeast Asia although these are rapidly being replaced by not so organic concrete slabs. Bamboo is also used to make paper, although this practice is rarely seen in modern China due to depleting resources and old forests.
Environmental Considerations of the Bamboo Industry
Despite its many advantages as a sustainable, renewable natural resource, however, it goes without saying that the harvesting of any natural resource comes at a cost. Many refute the claim that bamboo is a ‘green alternative’ claiming that the industry promotes the destruction of what remains of the world’s last wild bamboo forests.
A report produced in 2004 by the UN Environmental Program and the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan found that deforestation threatens bamboo plantations and the the lives of around 1200 animal species who depend on it such as China's giant panda, Africa's mountain gorilla, South America's mountain tapir and Madagascar's golden lemur.
Sources:
Compendium of Materia Medica, Li Shizhen, 2003, Beijing Foreign Languages Press
Taihe Senlin Bamboo Plant Co., www.zhuzi.net
Bamboo Biodiversity Report, May 2004, UN Environmental Program and International Network for Bamboo and Rattan
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