The Dulong Blanket

A staff member demonstrates the skills of making Dulong blanket during a promotion week for intangible cultural heritage brands in Dali, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Nov 23, 2025. More than 120 brands of intangible cultural heritage took part in the brand promotion week which opened here on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua]

In the remote, misty mountains of southwestern China, women of the Dulong ethnic group have for generations preserved the unique craft of weaving the Dulong blanket. This textile is famed for its vibrant stripes, resembling a rainbow resting upon one's shoulders.

The traditional craft of making a Dulong blanket is a dialogue between humans and nature. Every step, from harvesting wild hemp fibers to dyeing with plant roots and minerals, relies on nature's gifts. Using a traditional backstrap loom, weavers secure one end of the threads around their waist and the other to a wooden frame. With deft hands, they pass colorful weft threads through the warp, inch by inch creating stripes in red, yellow, black, white, and green—colors that symbolize natural elements.

Once an indispensable part of daily life for the Dulong people—serving as a shawl by day and a blanket by night—the Dulong blanket has now evolved into a significant cultural symbol and a beautiful handicraft. This craft is listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yunnan Province and is finding its way to the world through innovative designs and international collaboration.