Weaving a decorative history

Editor's note: Traditional arts and crafts are supreme examples of Chinese cultural heritage. China Daily is publishing this series to show how master artisans are using dedication and innovation to inject new life into heritage. In this installment, we explore the carpet craft in Xinjiang.

Stepping into a random traditional household in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, carpets are usually the most eye-catching and distinct interior decorations.

Superior wool meticulously woven with intricate patterns bursts with vibrant colors. These objects of beauty are used by different ethnic groups in Xinjiang to cover floors and sofas or adorn walls, serving as both insulation and decoration.

Xinjiang is among the birthplaces of such unique carpets.

Archaeological evidence tracing the artistry of wool handmade carpet dates back over 2,000 years in the region.

Carpet fragments from the late Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) unearthed from the ruins of the ancient city of Loulan in southern Xinjiang are among the earliest known carpet artifacts discovered in China. The findings attest to the local origins of this craft.

Xinjiang carpets often feature basic motifs of plants, flowers, fruits, branches, leaves and animals, expanded upon and transformed with geometric patterns.

Traditional designs include anargul (pomegranate flower), bash chichak gul (five-petaled flower) and chachma gul (scattered flower). The carpets typically adopt a full-border composition.