Against the natural backdrop of cascading waterfalls and misty green valleys in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, an open-air fashion show brings Zhuang brocade, a 2,000-year-old Chinese intangible cultural heritage, into the present.
Forty sets of modern garments embedded with classic Zhuang woven patterns debuted on the mountain runway, merging ancient ethnic craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. This groundbreaking cultural showcase was mainly created by Li Cunling, 59, a national-level inheritor of the Zhuang brocade weaving craft and director of the Zhuang Brocade Factory in Jingxi city.
As one of China's four traditional brocades, Zhuang brocade is the artistic treasure of the Zhuang ethnic group. Distinguished by bold red, yellow, blue and green hues, symbolic totems of frogs, eight-pointed blossoms and diamond geometric motifs, it was once woven into bedcovers, baby carriers and garments for everyday use by Zhuang families. In 2006, this weaving technique was inscribed on China's first national intangible cultural heritage list.
With over 30 years of dedication, Li has upheld Jingxi's brocade inheritance while driving innovative upgrades, propelling this time-honored Chinese craft onto global fashion and cultural markets.
"Many areas in Guangxi produce Zhuang brocade, but only Jingxi maintains a continuous inheritance spanning seven decades," Li said. "Our survival lies in respecting tradition while keeping pace with the times."
Promoted by Li, Jingxi's Zhuang brocade has become a shining cultural ambassador in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Its refined handwoven products are exported to dozens of countries and regions. Moving beyond old-fashioned thick bedcovers that once limited the market potential, Li has developed lightweight, modern collections including brocade handbags, silk scarves, wall decorations and art jewelry. These creations preserve authentic handwoven textures and symbolic Zhuang totems while catering to international tastes, balancing practical daily use and artistic collection value.
"Foreign visitors are often struck by our vivid colors and meaningful patterns. They do not just buy a souvenir; they take home a piece of Zhuang people's history and blessings," Li said.
Li's legendary career as a brocade artisan began in 1987, when she, as a 20-year-old, joined the local brocade factory as a financial staff member. Drawn by the unique charm of Zhuang weaving art, she started learning professional craftsmanship from senior artisans in her spare time, balancing full-time administrative work and handmade weaving practice.
"Sitting by the loom and watching colorful threads turn into vivid patterns felt almost magical. I told myself I had to master this craft, no matter how hard it was," Li recalls.
It is an extremely labor-intensive craft. Skilled weavers take three to four days to produce merely one meter of fine brocade, while complex patterns yield only 10 centimeters per day, earning it the renowned title "an inch of brocade, an inch of gold".
Through relentless after-hours practice and innate talent, Li mastered the full production process within half a year, including spinning, plant dyeing, pattern designing and hand weaving. She developed the remarkable skill of creating intricate brocade works entirely from memory without drafted sketches.
In 2005, Li took over the factory during a severe industry crisis. As mass-produced modern textiles began dominating the market, traditional brocade styles lost popularity, pushing the factory toward operational difficulties and leaving the ancient weaving craft facing a critical talent shortage.
"I saw looms sitting idle and elderly weavers retiring with no young people to take their place. My heart ached. Brocade belongs to life, not to glass museum cases," Li said.
Firmly believing that intangible heritage belongs to daily life, Li launched comprehensive innovations to revitalize the fading craft.
She integrated classic ethnic patterns with modern aesthetics and developed three major product lines: daily necessities, art decorations and cultural souvenirs. Her upgraded brocade accessories quickly gained popularity both domestically and internationally. In 2020, her original costume collection won the gold award at the inaugural Magnificent Guangxi Ethnic Costume Design Competition, marking Zhuang brocade's breakthrough into the modern fashion industry.
Li also optimized traditional weaving equipment while retaining core handcraft techniques. She upgraded the traditional 60-cm narrow loom to a 120-cm wide model, enabling one-piece integral weaving and greatly improving the completeness and delicacy of brocade works.
To solve the industry's inheritance dilemma, Li has built a systematic talent cultivation system. She launches long-term brocade courses in local kindergartens and primary and secondary schools to nurture cultural awareness, and cooperates with domestic universities to build practice workshops.
The integration of youthful creative design and traditional craftsmanship injects sustainable vitality into heritage innovation. "Being a heritage inheritor is a heavy responsibility," Li said. "Despite all the difficulties, I will devote my life to passing on and innovating Zhuang brocade, letting the world witness the unique charm of China's ethnic culture."
Editor：Zhou Jinmiao
