Recently, the 27th edition of the "Maoming Intangible Cultural Heritage Half-Hour" event kicked off with a focus on the tie-dye technique. The show combines display, hands-on experience, and dialogue, bringing the ancient tie-dye technique out of historical records.
Tie-dye is an ancient craft that uses ropes as brushes, cloth as paper, and plants as pigments. By employing techniques such as tying, binding, stitching, and gathering to create natural resist barriers, followed by indigo dyeing, unique and irreplicable patterns resembling clouds or flowing water emerge on the fabric. In 2022, the "Tie-Dye Making Technique" was included in the intangible cultural heritage list of Maonan District.
The most popular activity was the hands-on experience of plant-based dyeing and printing. Invited participants were provided with natural plant materials to create designs on handkerchiefs. Watching the colors of the plants gradually bloom on the fabric, many exclaimed that the process was "magical and healing."
In recent years, Maoming has consistently focused on the protection and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage. Through a series of branded activities, heritage items such as tie-dye and puppet shows have been revitalized.
Reporter & Photo: Zhou Liang
Editor: Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
