Traditional Li Textile Techniques
01 · Historical Records
The history of Li textile production in the Ledong area is a line of transition from hemp to cotton. Before cotton cloth became widespread, wild hemp textiles prevailed in Li areas: people stripped the hemp bark during the rainy season, steeped it into hemp bolts through soaking and rinsing, then hand-twisted it into yarn or spun it with a spindle before weaving it into cloth; the sturdy wild hemp cloth was mostly used for outer garments and lower robes worn while working. Later, with the introduction of kapok, the raw materials, yarn counts, and patterns of textile production changed accordingly, and cotton-spinning technique became a household task that women and children in the villages all needed to master. This transition also pushed brocade weaving to a new stage: the change of raw material allowed the warp threads to be set more densely and the colors to be separated more finely, while compositions developed from simple shapes to more complex patterns with varied transformations. The cotton-spinning and brocade techniques extant in Ledong today are precisely the form the craft took after this transition was complete.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
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.
Cotton spinning as daily work
Spinning is everyday work for Li women and girls; the wheel stands at home and the family supplies its own cotton and ramie, forming a self-contained textile chain.
From simple to complex patterning
Weavers here have carried patterning from simple forms to complex, varied designs while raising the finish of the cloth, demanding memory and endurance.
Mother-to-daughter cotton spinning
Rong Yamei learned cotton spinning from her mother and now teaches the whole process to her daughter Ji Shaoqiang — entire workflows, not isolated techniques.
Using both cotton and ramie
Kapok and ramie are both readily available and used together: ramie for tough outer garments, cotton for soft cloth against the skin and for quilt faces.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Within Ledong Li Autonomous County, the traditional Li cotton-spinning and brocade techniques are scattered among villages in the mountainous and river-valley zones. Rong Yamei learned cotton spinning from her mother from early childhood and is a representative of this lineage; she has continually improved her textile techniques and patterns since then, and has mastered a complete set of traditional Li dyeing, spinning, weaving, and embroidery processes. Transmission in Ledong most commonly takes the form of mother-to-daughter succession: Rong Yamei's daughter Ji Shaoqiang is currently studying this traditional textile technique systematically under her, learning the complete set of processes rather than a single segment. This household-by-household method of teaching has kept Ledong's cotton-spinning craft relatively complete. The Ledong Li Autonomous County Cultural Center is the local safeguarding unit. Transmission of the craft takes place mainly within villages, and a cross-village training system has yet to form; this is the element most in need of reinforcement compared with other Li counties.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Traditional Li Textile Techniques · Traditional Li Textile Techniques · Traditional Li Textile Techniques · Traditional Li Textile Techniques.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Rong Yamei (as recorded in the official archives of the associated inheritor): Female, Li ethnicity, born in 1955, a native of Ledong, Hainan. Representative inheritor of Li traditional spinning, dyeing, weaving, and embroidery, a national-level intangible cultural heritage item from the first batch. Since learning cotton-spinning technique from her mother in early childhood, Rong Yamei has consistently persisted in handmade cotton production, continually improving and refining her textile techniques and patterns. She has now mastered a complete set of traditional Li dyeing, spinning, weaving, and embroidery processes; her compositions have developed from simple shapes to more complex patterns with varied transformations, and she has also been attentive to continually raising the overall quality of her finished work. At present, her daughter Ji Shaoqiang is studying this traditional textile technique systematically under her. In 2006 she took part in the first Huabao Cup Li Brocade Competition of Hainan Province, winning the only special prize awarded in the province.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Rong Yamei 01-0139
- Liu Xianglan 03-1309
- Fu Linzao 04-1837
- Wang Ruimei
- Hu Chunfang
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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