Current location:politics >>
Young Woman Saving Traditional Dyeing Craft from Dying
politics81556People have gathered around
IntroductionContact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom ...
- Home
- News
- People
- In-depth
- ACWF
Young Woman Saving Traditional Dyeing Craft from Dying
August 17, 2022File photo taken on Oct. 25, 2019 shows Qi Hui (middle) purchasing hand-made embroidery from villagers in Yuntian Township, Dingxi City, northwest China's Gansu Province. [Xinhua/Lang Bingbing] |
LANZHOU, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) — In traditional Chinese medicine, herbs are often used to help treat illness. But in the hands of Qi Hui, the herbs can turn into works of art.
It is hard to believe that the beautiful colors of the wallets, scarves and handbags in Qi's studio are all dyed from herbs.
The 40-year-old inheritor of the time-honoured dyeing craft hails from Dingxi City, in northwest China's Gansu Province, where the craft with centuries-long history is now under county-level protection as a local intangible cultural heritage.
Dingxi boasts a myriad of herbal medicines. The local specialty, combined with China's tradition of hand-dyeing, leads to the birth of the old craft.
"When I was a child, my grandmother used to fork up the roots of plants grown in the mountains and then boil the roots to help dye clothing. I can still recall that lovely shade of orange of the clothing. I was captured by the charm of the traditional dyeing method," Qi said, adding that it was from her grandmother that she learnt ancient crafts including hand-dyeing, embroidery and paper cutting.
For Qi, dyeing with the help of natural herbs remains the most fascinating. "In modern society, it's common to use chemicals for dyeing. But the traditional way of extracting coloring pigments from herbs can be both fashionable and close to nature," said Qi.
The primitive method demands huge reserves of patience, as specific alkaline pigments must be boiled within an appropriate time period at around 20 degrees Celsius. "Even a one-minute nuance can result in the wrong color," Qi explained.
Such a perfect integration of the old craft and modern textiles soon won consumers' hearts. In 2016, with the support of the local government, Qi established her studio to produce more artwork using dyeing, embroidery and handbag making skills.
She also trained hundreds of rural women workers for free, hoping that their participation in the old tradition could help local women lead better lives. Wang Meier, a local villager, earned about 6,000 yuan (about 886 U.S. dollars) during her two-month training course in the studio.
"Young people are essential to the development of rural China. As a member of the young generation, I view devoting myself to the rural development cause as my long-term endeavor and commitment," Qi added.
In 2019, Qi registered a company to produce and sell handicrafts built upon the traditional dyeing method. More than 70 employees work in her company, including 60 casual workers who can embroider and dye clothing in their spare time without delaying daily farm work. The company has now received about 10,000 orders.
Qi is now head of Dingxi's intangible cultural heritage association. She plans to further explore the artistic value of the old dyeing craft.
"I hope that the traditional art could help spread traditional Chinese culture and allow more to be touched by its beauty. It's also my dream to help more women to earn a better life by their own hard work. The ancient craft can create way more value," Qi said.
(Source: Xinhua)
32.3KPlease understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: [email protected]. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn.
Comments
Magazines
Projects
- 2023 Women Science and Technology Innovation Pioneer...
Photos
- People Enjoy Blooming Tulips in Jinan, East...
- Flowers Bloom Across China in Spring
Special Coverage
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“International Iterations news portal”。http://www.videocameralive.com/article-6d399924.html
Related articles
Dortmund's injury concerns ease before facing PSG in Champions League semifinal
politicsDORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund’s injury worries have eased and coach Edin Terzić is hope ...
【politics】
Read moreThe Bo Nix era begins in Denver, and the Broncos also drafted his top target at Oregon
politicsENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — For the first time in his 17 seasons as a coach, Sean Payton has a rookie qu ...
【politics】
Read moreCollege protests: Anti
politicsNEW YORK (AP) — From New York to California, students protesting the Israel-Hamas war slept in tents ...
【politics】
Read more
Popular articles
- Proof you CAN outrun bad genes with just four lifestyle tweaks
- Wuhan notches season's first home win in Chinese Super League
- DR ELLIE CANNON: Why do I get pain in my armpit during a strenuous bike ride?
- Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus headline Women's Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony
- Judge clears former Kentucky secretary of state Alison Lundergan Grimes of ethics charges
- Taxpayers could be on the hook for a multi
Latest articles
Democrats vow to protect Speaker Mike Johnson from being ousted from office
Denis Bouanga's stoppage
George Kirby strikes out a career
Blues and Reds play out a Super Rugby thriller as similarities stand out
Calling a female colleague a 'pretty woman' at work is sex discrimination, tribunal rules
Saints fill need at offensive tackle, add depth at cornerback and QB during NFL draft
LINKS
- Anze Kopitar scores in overtime, Kings beat Oilers 5
- Shohei Ohtani's hard
- China reports general public budget spending near 7 tln yuan in Q1
- TikTok bows to European pressure and halts reward feature on new app in France and Spain
- World Central Kitchen workers killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza will be honored at memorial
- Defending champion Golden Knights beat Stars 3
- Princess Charlotte's adorable talent that makes her mother Kate Middleton 'very happy'
- DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Labour runs out of ammo on defence
- Biden promises quick provision of additional arms to Ukraine in call with Zelensky
- Lightning and Islanders searching for answers to rebound from 2