<\/p>\n
Having trouble looking for information on the bamboo wife? You might be missing out on a few leads.\u00a0As\u00a0this bolster is\u00a0most common in parts of East and Southeast Asia, there are several\u00a0non-English terms for it you may not\u00a0know.<\/p>\n
In Japan it’s chikufujin, while in China it’s\u00a0zh\u00faf\u016br\u00e9n (\u7af9\u592b\u4eba).\u00a0In Korea it’s jukbuin (\uc8fd\ubd80\uc778). Worth noting that these three names literally mean\u00a0“bamboo wife” in the respective\u00a0local vernaculars.<\/p>\n
In the Philippines, it’s known as kawil;\u00a0also the\u00a0Tagalog word for a fish hook\u00a0or a chain link. This is perhaps because the bolster can be kept hanging from a wall hook.<\/p>\n
English speakers also use\u00a0the term\u00a0Dutch wife, but this has various unrelated definitions. The origin of the alternative term is thought to be either from the time of the Dutch colonization of Indonesia, or an appropriation of the old usage of “Dutch” to mean that something was irregular.<\/p>\n
The latter is exemplified in other terms that survive to this day. For example: Dutch courage, which is confidence gained from drinking alcohol. The origin of that usage,\u00a0in turn, stems from the Anglo-Dutch wars of the 17th century.<\/p>\n A\u00a0bamboo wife is a long, hollow and handwoven bolster that is often comparable to the human body in size.<\/strong><\/p>\n True to its name, it’s almost always made out of thinly cut bamboo strands. If not, it’s usually another material that’s easy to weave, like rattan.<\/p>\n There are several bamboo wife variants, ranging in length and circumference. Why? Sleepers come in all sizes!\u00a0It is supposed to be roughly the same size as the person using it, so children and adults will have different needs.<\/p>\n There are also types of bamboo wives that are shaped differently, to allow changes in sleeping position or other uses. For example:\u00a0A properly designed bamboo wife can serve its main purpose, but may also\u00a0serve as a stable support structure for feet that need to be propped up.<\/p>\n Typically it is embraced in a side sleeping position.\u00a0The open wooden structure helps regulate body temperature and eases usual aches and pains from side sleeping without a bolster.<\/strong><\/p>\n In East Asia and Southeast Asia, summers are often hot and humid!\u00a0This makes sleeping with\u00a0fabric pillows or bedding more than a little uncomfortable. Without proper ventilation or temperature control, heat and moisture can build up.<\/p>\n The bamboo wife solves this problem by allowing airflow to reach more parts of the body. At first glance, a bamboo wife may look like a basket or an ornamental piece,\u00a0but it is a very useful\u00a0bedtime companion. Though inflexible and hard, its dimensions are close to the more familiar orthopedic body pillow <\/a>or bolster.<\/p>\n Sometimes, its shape is even designed\u00a0to inspire an intuitive response! Notice the curves on the bamboo wife in the image below. The slimmer parts make it easier\u00a0to wrap arms and even legs around the bolster.<\/p>\n Yes, but\u00a0the tradition of the bamboo wife is kept alive these days primarily in Korea. <\/strong><\/p>\n The jukbuin is embedded deep into the country’s culture, with mentions of the term in local literature dating back to the 13th century.<\/p>\n There is also an annual event that keeps the jukbuin in the news year after year. Held at\u00a0Damyang County (Damyang-gun) in\u00a0the South Jeolla Province (Jeollanam-do) of\u00a0South Korea, the Damyang Bamboo Festival<\/a> is held every spring.\u00a0It showcases local products made out of bamboo, including a large array of jukbuin.<\/p>\n Otherwise, the popularity of the bamboo wife dipped considerably. Three factors contribute to this waning need for the once essential bolster:<\/p>\n What’s the takeaway here? While the bamboo wife is no longer present in most East Asian and Southeast Asian homes, the idea of a bolster for hugging while you sleep has endured. It may have even spread to more parts of the world.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, there is no easy way to purchase an authentic bamboo wife if you don’t live in a country that traditionally uses them.<\/strong><\/p>\n Try searching for a way to buy\u00a0a bamboo wife online, and you’ll see what we mean. Yes, there are online stores that carry them. Here’s the thing:\u00a0Most bamboo wife product pages we’ve seen are either in the local language of the manufacturer or only offer local shipping. The rare exceptions typically offer the bamboo wife at an\u00a0exorbitant price.<\/p>\n The bamboo wife isn’t something you can find at any corner store in Korea or Japan, either—much less the Philippines. Should you plan on looking for one while on a trip, don’t expect it to be stocked at tourist shops or night markets. Your best bet might be to plan a vacation and go to the Damyang Bamboo Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you want to use\u00a0a\u00a0bamboo wife, you are probably looking for three\u00a0things: uniqueness, comfort and support. Body pillows can offer these, and are easy to find in department stores and online retailers.<\/strong><\/p>\n It’s very likely that you can walk into your local Kohl’s, Target\u00a0or Walmart and expect body pillows to be stocked and available. You may\u00a0discover, though, that most offerings are just simple straight bolsters.<\/p>\n Want to purchase a long bolster\u00a0online? Below are some of our favorites.<\/p>\n Did the bamboo wife hold your interest because it was unique-looking? Want an alternative that’s similarly distinctive?<\/p>\n You can check the nearest baby store. Yes, even if you’re not expecting! A sizable establishment might have a section for pregnancy or maternity bolsters<\/a>. You may find large and unusually proportioned body pillow-like\u00a0products\u00a0there.<\/p>\n Of course, you can always look online. You’ll find a huge variety of these oddly-shaped body pillows! Below are two of our favorites.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jump to: What Is a Bamboo Wife? How Is the Bamboo Wife Used? Do People Still Use the\u00a0Bamboo Wife Today? Where Can You Buy\u00a0a Bamboo Wife? Bamboo Wife\u00a0Alternatives: What Can Be Used Instead? Having trouble looking for information on the bamboo wife? You might be missing out on a few leads.\u00a0As\u00a0this bolster is\u00a0most common […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":520,"parent":423,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"article-template.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/512"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=512"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4191,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/512\/revisions\/4191"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/423"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"A](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/article-bamboo-wife-800x600.png\")
<\/a>What Is a Bamboo Wife?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>How Is the Bamboo Wife Used?<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/article-bamboo-wife-03-800x300.png\")
<\/a>Do People Still Use the\u00a0Bamboo Wife Today?<\/h2>\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/article-bamboo-wife-07-300x214.png\")
<\/a>Where Can You Buy\u00a0a Bamboo Wife?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Bamboo Wife Alternatives: What Can Be Used Instead?<\/h2>\n
Looking for a Straight Body Pillow?<\/h3>\n
![\"Snuggle-Pedic](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/snuggle-pedic-full-body-pillow-800x714.png\")
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Looking for More Complex Body Pillow Designs?<\/h3>\n
![\"Leachco](\"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/leachco-snoogle-total-body-pillow-01-800x600.png\")
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