A woman makes an oil paper umbrella in Fenshui town, Luzhou, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on Aug 6, 2015. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Although oil paper umbrellas have lost their practical function today, they are still attracting modern customers in another way.

In Luzhou's Fenshui, Southwest China's Sichuan province, the history of making oil paper umbrellas can be traced back more than 400 years. The township is still largely dependent on this industry, and the traditional technique of making oil paper umbrellas there has been recognized as a state-level intangible cultural heritage since 2008.