Tujia brocade

Originating in the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1100 BC), brocade is an essential part of the Tujia people's culture and daily life. They wear clothes with delicate brocade to participate in traditional ceremonies and dances. When a Tujia baby is born, the grandmother will give her grandchild a piece of brocade as a present.

The brocade has different colors for various occasions. It not only tells the stories of the ancient Tujia civilization, but also silently records the local people's customs and lifestyles.

"In 1976, I first came to western Hunan to study local life," said researcher Wang Weiyi. "I was completely fascinated by the charming scenery and the lives of the Tujia people in Zhangjiajie. Their brocade is the focus of my research."

Wang later established a folk art research team at the Hunan Arts and Craft Institute. He has visited a number Tuijia brocade practitioners and collected a large number of brocade patterns over the years.