Li Traditional Textile Techniques: Weaving, Dyeing and Embroidery

The Li people have a long history of textile techniques, including hemp weaving, cotton weaving, brocade, tie-dyeing, embroidery, and dragon quilts.

Materials like kapok and wild hemp are commonly used. Hemp cloth, processed through soaking and dyeing, is handwoven into durable fabric for workwear.

Li brocade features over 160 patterns, mainly figures, flora/fauna, and geometric designs, once serving as tribal identifiers. It’s woven using foot-treadle or waist-mounted looms.

Tie-dyeing (ancient name: jiaoxie) uses plant-based dyes, with steps like tying, dyeing, and drying to create patterned cloth.

Embroidery includes flat and double-sided styles, the latter from Baisha area being the most refined.

Dragon quilts, the pinnacle of Li textiles, combine weaving, dyeing, and embroidery. Once tributes to emperors, they now face extinction due to dwindling artisans.