Rhapsody in blue
A Bai family safeguards a centuries-old tie-dye craft as Yunnan workshops open their doors to new creators and curious visitors.
The air in Zhoucheng village, Dali Bai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, is thick with the earthy scent of plant extracts used in the tie-dyeing technique of the Bai ethnic group. In a sun-drenched courtyard, Duan Yuan tests the temperature of a deep vat of dye swirling with a living, breathing blue.
For him, indigo is far more than a color; it's a symbol of identity and his inheritance, and the thread that binds generations. Born into a family long devoted to dyeing, Duan grew up inside an indigo factory in Zhoucheng village that, despite the pressures of modernization, remains a stronghold of the ancient craft.
Home to more than 200 dyeing workshops and around 4,000 artisans, Zhoucheng stands as a vibrant testament to China's rich textile heritage. In 2006, the tie-dyeing technique of the Bai people was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.
Duan's father, Duan Shukun, a provincial-level inheritor of the craft, learned to tie basic knots at 5 and mastered the entire process by 12. His mother, Duan Yinkai, a national inheritor, is a virtuoso with a needle.
In 1998, the couple rebuilt their ancestral Puzhen Tie-Dye Workshop. Duan Yinkai expanded the traditional repertoire of 30-odd stitching techniques to more than 100, while Duan Shukun moved beyond the iconic blue, experimenting with gardenia fruit, saffron, and sappanwood to create a new palette of natural hues.
"For Bai people, our whole lives are intertwined with tie-dye," Duan Shukun says.
Growing up, Duan Yuan's world was one of rhythmic motion: the precise pierce of a needle, the pull of thread, the soft plop of cloth sinking into the dye vat.
Duan and his wife, Yang Zhirui, joined the family business. Together, they are breathing new life into the old craft.
"What attracts me is its limitless possibilities for design and patterns," Yang says, adding that every piece is unique. She applies minimalist design ideas to create modern tie-dye apparel and coordinated family outfits.
Beyond their workshop, the family has invested in safeguarding the craft's legacy. In 2008, they revived the struggling Zhoucheng tiedye factory and transformed it into a museum that combines exhibitions and immersive experiences.
They have preserved more than 1,800 nearly lost patterns, 3,600 templates and 700 antique pieces. Every year, over 200,000 visitors flock to the museum.
