Carrying the torch of craft
Miao artisans use their heritage training to inject vitality into local economies and cultural preservation efforts, Yang Feiyue reports.
When Wan Lanfang stepped into the classroom on a late June afternoon, the silver adorning her body jingled and rustled softly, as if coming to life.
From a headdress blooming with delicately crafted flowers and birds to a sweeping, silver-braided necklace cascading from her neck to her waist, every element reflected meticulous devotion to her ethnic Miao roots.
"If you look closely, you'll see the intricate patterns on my clothes — this is the result of fusing silver with embroidery," Wan explains with quiet pride.
"It shows how silver can be harmoniously integrated with a wide range of traditional and modern materials and crafts," she adds.
As a village Miao girl born and raised in Shibing county of Guizhou's Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, Wan made her way to becoming a teacher at the Guizhou Minzu University in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, imparting silver crafting knowledge to students.
Over the years, she has pioneered unique and innovative jewelry designs that blend ethnic Miao motifs with traditional embroidery, bamboo weaving, enamel, ceramics, batik, and leather, creating wearable works of art that honor heritage while embracing contemporary aesthetics.
"None of it would have been possible if it weren't for my art masters," says the woman in her 20s, choking up when recalling her arts and crafts pursuit.
She tapped into her creative flair in 2021, when she participated in a national training program on silver jewelry forging.
Launched by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2015, the training and capacity-building program aims to enhance the transmission of intangible cultural heritage, or ICH, and further integrate it into modern life.
The initiative coordinates selected educational institutions to organize and carry out training programs focused on traditional craftsmanship and related ICH projects.
This high-level platform exposed Wan to advanced techniques such as intricate gem-setting and enameling, enabling her to better take stock of what she had learned and deliver innovation through ingenious combinations.
