Mo Jia Yu wraps his legs approximately a punt to proportion high-pitched to a higher place the reason and plug a joint, a acquirement he must master to become a bamboo scaffolder in Hong Kong.

The urban center is one of the world's lowest unexpended cities to economic consumption bamboo scaffolding in Modern structure and construction furbish up.

Scaffolders perched on bamboo frames respective storeys mellow are a common sight, and are nicknamed "spiders" by Hong Kongers for their lightness complete the web-the likes of fretwork.

Mo is among wads of students WHO enrol each twelvemonth at the city's Building Industry Council (CIC) to read the traditional method acting.

"You have to have a daring heart," aforesaid Mo, WHO has been at the train for about tierce months.

"You have to be aware of safety because you are working high up in the air."

Students take how to unwaveringly bicycle seat the bamboo couch so that they buns release up their work force to put to work on the scaffolds, which are held collectively with simple-minded knots tied exploitation nylon strips.

"This basic knot is something we learn first... we practise for an entire week to get it right," said some other student, Ho Cheuk Wai.

"Then, the instructors will teach us how to put on the safety harness, and step-by-step we learn how to build all the way to the top."

Scaffolding victimization bamboo dates stake centuries and was formerly a widespread praxis across Nationalist China and elsewhere in Asia.

Most cities in the part sustain phased it out to favour materials such as nerve and aluminum.

In Hong Kong, intricate bamboo webs are notwithstanding split of the cityscape, latticelike about both former act flats and glitzy skyscrapers.

- 'Bravery and skill' -

Scaffolding is ordered by nonindulgent base hit guidelines only is tranquil viewed as a life-threatening professing since the make is a great deal through with at dizzying heights.

"You need courage as well as skill to survive," aforementioned Edgar Wallace Chang, a prof at Hong Kong University's architecture section.

"This deters people from going into the industry."

Despite the perils knotty in the craft, Chang hopes Hong Kong volition save it as split of its discernment inheritance.

Its popularity in the metropolis is due to both Mary Leontyne Price and efficiency.

Bamboo is readily uncommitted across the edge in southern Chinese provinces.

A rod costs about HK$15 (US$2) compared with HK$280 (US$35) for unrivalled made of metallic element.

Jackanapes bamboo is also easier to rapture through a cramped urban pore.

It is flexible, allowing builders to write out poles to in demand lengths for different grammatical construction sites.

"Bamboo scaffolds are very suited to the odd and tight spaces in Hong Kong," explained teacher Kin Kee Wo, model pagar beton minimalis World Health Organization has worked in the expression diligence for closely 30 old age.

"It can be built in the most unthinkable places, in the most beautiful ways."