Published on: 2026-10-31
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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? In recent years, against the backdrop of the growing popularity of experiential tourism, visiting Dali to learn the technique of tie-dye batik has become a mandatory part of the program for many tourists coming to this city. The village of Zhoucheng in Sichzhou town (Dali city, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province) is known as the “homeland of Bai batik”: the art of fabric dyeing is carefully passed down here from generation to generation. In 2006, the tie-dye batik technique of the Bai nationality was included in the first List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China. Today, more than 200 households in the village specialize in batik, and the total number of people employed in this field exceeds 4,000. Workshops offering themed master classes for tourists receive from 400,000 to 600,000 visitors annually.
The traditional tie-dye technique of the Bai nationality has transformed into a sought-after cultural and tourist product that visitors can try making themselves. The process involves several stages: twisting, dyeing, washing, and untwisting. Using a needle and thread as a brush, and plant dyes as ink, artisans (and now tourists) turn simple white fabrics into items with a characteristic blue and white pattern. These patterns seem to bring to life the unique beauty of the landscapes between the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake.
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