What causes the Oriental parasol to be gradually forgotten?

Defects of raw materials themselves

Paper is an early invention of ancient China, and as a material for printing publications

it has irreplaceable strengths:

• sun
• rain,

 Although it is coat with oil, it is made of paper, so it is easily broken in the process of sun and rain

once the paper surface of the oriental parasol is rotten, the whole parasol is unusable.

Innovation of modern umbrella

As times change and society evolve

alternative materials

• stronger
• cheaper 

causing the oriental parasol to drop out of sight.

why oil paper  parasol became a waterproof material :

• low price

But as China’s manufacturing industry develop and products became more abundant

the shortcomings of oil paper became more pronounce and the advantages disappeared.

After the years of scarcity,

• cloth
• nylon

became commonplace materials,

their waterproofness and strength far exceed that of oil paper

so it is not surprising that oil paper was abandon by manufacturers and users alike. 

parasols and umbrellas, large and small, folded and unfolded, are all made of cloth and nylon.

Oriental parasol production process is complex

Oriental parasols are mostly handmade

the process

• cutting the bones,
• winding the thread,
• laminating the paper,
• applying persimmon water,
• closing the umbrella,
• drying the umbrella,
• painting,
• putting on the handle,
• applying tung oil,
• nailing the cloth,
• wrapping the handle,
• threading the inner thread, etc.

The process is so complicate that an artisan can make just one a day.

In the age of industrialization

where “time is money and efficiency is life,”

who would want to lose money on such a costly endeavor?

change their business and stop production: 

• new materials 
• techniques

the oriental parasol left us and disappeared quietly from our lives.

Today there are still some places

• Yunnan, Zhejiang 
• Fujian

making oriental parasols:

•  pass down folk craftsmanship

the parasols are mainly used as works of art for appreciation and collection, having long lost their original function.