Youth hands renew heritage

Tradition reimagined

In Yunnan province, 26-year-old Yang Yue is pursuing a similar goal through a different set of materials.

Growing up in Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, where the cultures of the Dai, Jingpo, De'ang and Achang ethnic groups intersect, Yang Yue's memories of home are closely tied to local sights and smells: the sweet fragrance of white champaca and gardenia, the bright colors of handwoven fabrics and the delicate patterns of silver ornaments.

She later went to the UK to study architectural design. When she returned, however, she noticed that some of the traditional ethnic homes she remembered were disappearing, along with parts of the everyday life once contained within them.

That sense of loss prompted her to found Wubenliving, which she describes as an "urban living room" where visitors can experience different forms of Dehong heritage under one roof. Inside are Dai brocade, De'ang sour tea, and Achang silverwork.

"Visitors are encouraged to touch vintage textiles and taste local botanical brews. A sensory experience can build a much deeper connection than simply reading a label on the wall," Yang Yue said.

She regularly visits villages to learn how traditional objects were made, used, and understood in local life.

One craft she encountered was liezhibu, a traditional form of recycled-cloth weaving in Dehong. In the past, Dai women would cut worn family clothes and fabric scraps into strips and use them as weft, weaving them together with new warp threads to create cloth that was thick, warm, and durable.

Its value, however, went beyond practicality. When a daughter was preparing to marry, the fabric woven for her might contain pieces of clothing or bedding once used by her parents and siblings.

"It was like taking a piece of her family's memory and warmth with her into her new life," Yang Yue said, "so she would not feel entirely alone."

By the time she began researching the craft, recycled-cloth weaving had become relatively uncommon around Mangshi in Dehong. As her team began using the material, however, interest gradually returned, with some older women in local villages taking up the craft once more.

At Wubenliving, the fabric is not simply reproduced in its traditional form. Instead, it is turned into tote bags, laptop sleeves and sachets designed for contemporary use.

One sachet series uses another local textile — Dai handwoven cloth — and pairs it with two scents inspired by the region: white floral and botanical forest. Customers can stitch part of the sachet themselves. Because every piece of fabric has a different pattern, no two finished pieces are exactly alike.

"I want to use methods young people are familiar with, so these traditions can live again in today's world," Yang Yue said.

Meanwhile, she takes a more restrained approach to old objects themselves. Vintage textiles at Wubenliving are often left with faded colors, stains and frayed edges rather than being restored to look new.

"We don't repair every broken part or scrub away every stain," she said. "That is part of what the object has become over time. We shouldn't try to freeze something completely."

For Yang Yue, preservation is less about recreating the past exactly as it was and more about giving people a way into its stories.

"If someone buys a bag simply because they like the design, and only later becomes curious about the fabric and its history, that is enough for me," she said. "What matters is that more people come to know the craft — and that it is no longer forgotten."