Xiong Zonghui
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Xiong Zonghui, Female, Miao, from Gong, Sichuan, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Batik Craftsmanship (Ⅷ-25). The tradition is documented in Gong, Sichuan. Within the regional tradition and school record of Batik Craftsmanship in Gong, Sichuan: The core transmission area of Gong County Miao batik is Luoduo Miao Township. In 2006, Luoduo Miao Township, with Miao batik as its hallmark, was designated a 'Hometown of Folk Art' of Sichuan Province; in 2008, Luoduo Miao Township in Gong County was named a 'Hometown of Chinese Folk Culture and Art' by the Ministry of Culture, and a folk printing and dyeing craft passed down for generations thereby became the most resounding cultural calling card of the locality. The Miao people of the Gong County area commonly make batik pieces into garments, pleated skirts, waist aprons, bed sheets, pillow towels, bed valances, door curtains, wrapping cloth, and mosquito nets; the fineness of these categories shows that the craft has penetrated every level of local daily life. The local protection unit is the Gong County Museum (Gong County Cultural Relics Management Office; Gong County Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center). In 2006, Luoduo Miao Township, with Miao batik as its hallmark, was designated a 'Hometown of Folk Art' of Sichuan Province. In 2008, Luoduo Miao Township in Gong County was named a 'Hometown of Chinese Folk Culture and Art' by the Ministry of Culture.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Xiong Zonghui is anchored in the documented technical standards of Batik Craftsmanship in Gong, Sichuan. Within the documented technical tradition of Batik Craftsmanship in Gong, Sichuan: Batik is one of the ancient traditional folk printing and dyeing crafts of the Chinese nation; as early as the Qin and Han dynasties, the Miao people had already mastered the batik technique. Miao batik in Gong County stands apart among the batik traditions of Sichuan. The Guangxu-era Gong County Gazetteer records that the Miao people of Luoduo melted wax and drew with it on cloth, and after dyeing boiled the cloth and washed out the wax, producing batik skirts. Gong County Miao batik is mainly in two tones, blue and white, and is often combined with cross-stitch (tiaohua) and applique; generally the cloth is dyed first and embroidered afterward, so the coloring is rich and layered — plain yet gorgeous. Natural and geometric motifs predominate in the patterns; some are inherited from tradition, some drawn from daily life, and a single motif often carries multiple meanings. Batik compositions are full and lively, symmetrical and balanced, with attention paid to the overall effect of pattern combinations and visual sequence. The central motif is generally given pride of place, emphasizing the integrity and harmony of the design — simple and bright, dense without appearing cluttered, spare without appearing thin. Even on pleated skirts more than ten feet long worked in interlocking compositions, the interweaving of dots and lines, the coexistence of curves and straights, and the alternation of dense and sparse passages never feel stiff or vulgar; the work is rich in rhythmic variation and a sense of pulse. The patterns are exquisite and the lines smooth and flowing — fresh as the mutual support of pale clouds against a blue sky, bright as the melody of high mountains and flowing waters; within their plainness lies a boldness, within their brevity an elegance, giving them a distinct ethnic style. The Miao people of the Gong County area commonly make batik pieces into garments, pleated skirts, waist aprons, bed sheets, pillow towels, bed valances, door curtains, wrapping cloth, and mosquito nets; batik is an indispensable folk handicraft in Miao daily life. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Melting wax and painting the motif": Wax is melted and painted onto raw cloth with a copper knife; the temperature must be steady, because hot wax spreads and cold wax snaps the line. "Immersing in the indigo vat": Waxed cloth is wetted, then dipped repeatedly in a fermented indigo vat until fully dyed, and finally rinsed in the river to wash off the surface bloom. "Boiling off the wax": The rinsed cloth is boiled so the wax melts and floats, then skimmed off for reuse and washed repeatedly until no residue remains and the cloth is soft. "Dyeing first, then cross-stitching": After the indigo ground has taken and the cloth half-dried, the maker follows the dyed motif with cross-stitch and darn work, so a third layer of colour sits over the blue-and-white base.
Melting wax and painting the motif
Wax is melted and painted onto raw cloth with a copper knife; the temperature must be steady, because hot wax spreads and cold wax snaps the line.
Immersing in the indigo vat
Waxed cloth is wetted, then dipped repeatedly in a fermented indigo vat until fully dyed, and finally rinsed in the river to wash off the surface bloom.
Boiling off the wax
The rinsed cloth is boiled so the wax melts and floats, then skimmed off for reuse and washed repeatedly until no residue remains and the cloth is soft.
Dyeing first, then cross-stitching
After the indigo ground has taken and the cloth half-dried, the maker follows the dyed motif with cross-stitch and darn work, so a third layer of colour sits over the blue-and-white base.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Xiong Zonghui was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Batik Craftsmanship, with Gong, Sichuan as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Batik Craftsmanship in Gong, Sichuan: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2011 (batch 3), with Gong, Sichuan as its declared area, and Gong County Museum (Gong County Cultural Relics Management Office, Gong County Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding 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
Historical origin
In 2006, Luoduo Miao Township, with Miao batik as its hallmark, was designated a 'Hometown of Folk Art' of Sichuan Province. In 2008, Luoduo Miao Township in Gong County was named a 'Hometown of Chinese Folk Culture and Art' by the Ministry of Culture.
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.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wang Ayong | Danzhai, Guizhou | 04-1840 | Other regional school |
| Yang Fang | Danzhai, Guizhou | 05-2736 | Other regional school |
| Wang Yueyuan | Anshun, Guizhou | 05-2737 | Other regional school |
| Luo Wenzhen | Huangping, Guizhou | — | Other regional school |
| Cai Qun | Bijieshizhijin, Guizhou | — | Other regional school |
| Xiong Zonghui | Gong, Sichuan | — | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。