Bamboo in daily lifeApart from food crops, no other plant has had such a profound influence on Chinese life. Bamboo is part of so many day-to-day objects that life would be totally different without it. It is abundant, inexpensive and versatile, making it a strong rival to even such modern substitutes as plastic and metal. The stems are light, flexible and strong. They do not burn easily. They can be heated and shaped. Split, woven or cut into different lengths, they can be transformed into countless useful items. Bamboo is made into strong 20-storey high scaffolding, bridges that sometimes span distances of hundreds of metres, flood-proof retaining walls, water wheels for irrigating fields, fuselages for small aircraft, watch springs, bicycle frames, filaments for transistors and much, much more. Bam! Boo!Bamboo is also said to drive away demons. In days gone by, when it was thrown onto fires the noise made by the exploding internodes was thought to banish evil spirits and allow the gods to grant wishes and prayers. In fact, the Malay word bamboo comes from the noise it makes. The bam is the dry bang of the internodes exploding when the air pressure builds up inside, and the escaping air goes boo! | The Architecture | The Elements | The Activities | The Society of the Chinese Garden | |