Zhoucheng, the largest Bai village in China, is the heartland of Bai tie-dye, a technique on China's national intangible-heritage list since 2006.
- Good for:
- Families, makers, anyone spending a day on Erhai's northwest shore
In a family workshop you draw a pattern, stitch and bind the cloth tight, dip it again and again in indigo, then cut the threads to see what appeared. Pair it with the courtyards and flatbread of Xizhou just down the road.
Etiquette and what to know
Indigo stains your fingers for a day or two. Many shops now use synthetic dyes; ask for a workshop that still dyes with plant indigo if that matters to you. Your piece needs rinsing and drying, so plan to collect it later in the day.
