The history of Chinese people planting and using bamboo can be traced back 7,000 years. As early as the Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century B.C), bamboo was already used in various aspects of ancient Chinese people's daily lives. It was used for food, clothing, housing, transportation, music instruments and even weapons.

Where did bamboo originally come from?

Indeed, the majority of the 1,450 species of true bamboo found throughout the world originate in Southern and Southeastern Asian countries, with a few scattered species found in Africa and the beech forests of Chile in South America.

Where was bamboo first used?

But throughout history, bamboo has been used for a huge assortment of different products — some are pretty surprising! Bamboo uses has a very rich history, particularly in China, where it is believed to have originated around 5,000 years ago.