Traditional textile craftsmanship passed down for four generations in Nantong

Guan Huifang teaches her great-granddaughter, Wu Shuran, how to weave cloth. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In Nantong, Jiangsu province, a remarkable generation-spanning story is unfolding, as four generations of artisans work to preserve and advance the traditional blue and white textile craftsmanship.

At the heart of this narrative stands the venerable 97-year-old Guan Huifang, who is celebrating a new milestone after 90 years as a practitioner of blue calico dyeing craft.

Born in 1928 in Nantong, Guan, the mother of national intangible cultural heritage inheritor Wu Yuanxin, embarked on a textile apprenticeship at the tender age of six. With deft hands, she intricately wove and dyed auspicious motifs, swiftly becoming renowned in her village as a skilled weaver.

Inspired by his mother's weaving, Wu also found himself immersed in the world of blue calico dyeing. In the 1990s, Wu established China's first specialized blue calico cloth museum.

Wu has tirelessly championed the preservation and innovation of blue calico dyeing. Leading the "Yuanxin Blue" team, he traversed China's major blue calico cloth production regions, rescuing, safeguarding, and amassing over 60,000 artifacts dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911).

With over 200,000 pattern designs cataloged, he authored 10 seminal works, including the national key publication Traditional Chinese Folk Printing and Dyeing Techniques, and established a database for blue calico cloth patterns, ensuring the continued survival of this cultural heritage.

In the pursuit of safeguarding blue calico cloth traditions, Wu enlisted his daughter Wu Lingshu and son-in-law Ni Shenjian, infusing fresh vigor into the protection and transmission of this art form. Represented by Wu Yuanxin, the "Yuanxin Blue" team blends traditional norms with contemporary trends in their product designs.

Today, Guan's great-granddaughter, Wu Shuran, has also joined the ranks, creating a joyous scene where four generations have come together in a shared commitment to preserve and innovate within the Wu family dyeing workshop.