Wang Ruimei

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Wang Ruimei, Female, Li, from Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Traditional Li Textile Techniques (Ⅷ-19). The tradition is documented in Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan. Within the regional tradition and school record of Traditional Li Textile Techniques in Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan: In Baisha Li Autonomous County, the craft is concentrated in villages settled by speakers of the Run dialect, where the women's double-sided embroidery has the finest composition and patterns and stands as representative of Li embroidery. The neighboring counties of Baoting, Ledong, Dongfang, and Wuzhishan are also Li, but each has its own branches and customs, and their strengths are not the same. Baisha's woven and embroidered goods are mostly used for quilt covers, tube skirts, headscarves, and ceremonial brocades; cross-stitch and appliqué work are practiced alongside weaving. The local safeguarding unit is the Baisha Li Autonomous County Cultural Center; the craft is passed down mainly among women from generation to generation, and no specialized trade organization has emerged. Li weaving and embroidery in the Baisha area is built on double-sided embroidery. The same piece of cloth forms the pattern on both faces at once, legible front and back without the slightest blurring; this craft requires longer threads and denser stitches, as well as greater patience, and is therefore the most demanding category of Li embroidery. Viewed from the perspective of Li brocade as a whole, Baisha's position is also rather special: it is both one of the transmission areas of Li spinning, dyeing, weaving, and embroidery and a neighbor of the old territory of Yazhou, and the historical records of the Yazhou quilt — that is, the dragon quilt — corroborate the weaving traditions of this region. The two threads of everyday embroidery and tribute weaving come together in the villages of Baisha.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Wang Ruimei is anchored in the documented technical standards of Traditional Li Textile Techniques in Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan. Within the documented technical tradition of Traditional Li Textile Techniques in Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan: The Li people's weaving and dyeing techniques have a long history and distinctive characteristics, encompassing ramie weaving, cotton weaving, brocade weaving, printing and dyeing (including tie-dyeing), embroidery, and dragon quilts. Li settlement areas are rich in raw materials for weaving and dyeing, such as kapok and wild hemp. Before cotton textiles became widespread, wild hemp textiles prevailed in Li areas. People generally strip the outer bark from wild hemp gathered during the rainy season and, through soaking, rinsing, and other processes, steep it into hemp bolts. Once the hemp bolts have been dyed, they are hand-twisted into hemp yarn or spun into thread with a spindle, and then woven into cloth. Wild hemp cloth is sturdy in texture and was mostly used to make outer garments and lower robes worn while working. Li brocade patterns are rich and varied, numbering more than 160 kinds; they consist mainly of human figures, animals, plants, flowers, everyday implements, and geometric motifs, with human, animal, and plant designs predominating. The looms used to weave Li brocade are mainly of two types: the foot-treadled loom and the backstrap loom. The backstrap loom is an extremely ancient loom; Li women can use it to weave exquisite and complex patterns. Different patterns, colors, and styles of Li brocade once served as important markers distinguishing tribal groups with different kinship ties, and thus possess extremely important humanistic value. Li printing and dyeing is dominated by tie-dyeing, known in ancient times as jiaoxie. The fabric passes through binding, dyeing, drying, and thread-folding steps, ultimately forming brilliantly colored printed cloth. The dyes used in printing and dyeing are derived mainly from plant leaves, flowers, bark, and roots, supplemented by natural mineral pigments. Li embroidery has two forms: flat embroidery and double-sided embroidery, the most famous being the double-sided embroidery of the Run-dialect Li people of the Baisha area, whose composition and patterns are exceptionally fine. The dragon quilt is a treasure among Li brocades; it integrates spinning, dyeing, embroidery, weaving, and other crafts in a single piece, with exquisite workmanship, brilliant colors, elegant patterns, and varied styles. It represents the most outstanding craftsmanship and the highest cultural and artistic value among Li brocades, and for this reason became a tribute treasure of the Hainan region in every dynasty. The dragon quilt is also called the great quilt, and is known in historical records as the Yazhou quilt. The weaving and embroidery of dragon quilts produced different artistic styles and characteristics according to the Li dialects and regions of residence, making them valuable physical material for studying the evolution of Li culture. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Double-sided embroidery": Both faces of the cloth carry a complete, matching design; the Ru-dialect double-sided embroidery of Baisha is the most demanding branch of Li needlework. "Tying and immersing in dye": The cloth is bundled according to the design and immersed; dye reaches the loosened folds more freely, and untying reveals the mottled motif, by feel alone. "Weaving the Yazhou quilt": Known as the great quilt or Yazhou quilt, it passes through weaving, dyeing, embroidery and further finishing; wide, refined and technically the summit of Li brocade. "Passing the shuttle from the waist loom": Bracing the loom at the waist, the weaver sends the shuttle by leaning, freeing both hands to manage the multi-coloured warp according to the pattern.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Wang Ruimei was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Traditional Li Textile Techniques, with Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Traditional Li Textile Techniques in Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan as its declared area, and Hainan Baisha Li Autonomous County Cultural Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Wangruimei (Baishalizuzizhi, Hainan) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Wangruimei · China ICH Official Archive