Crafting ingenuity with nimble stitches

Amidst the misty tea mountains of Gelanghe Hani Township in Xishuangbanna’s Menghai County, Eryan, an inheritor of Hani ethnic clothing and a representative county-level intangible cultural heritage, meticulously guides her needle and thread. On vibrant fabrics, she intricately embroiders elements from daily life, the celestial paths of the sun, moon, and stars, and the epic migration history of her ancestors.

Eryan, inheritor of Hani ethnic clothing in Xishuangbanna’s Menghai County

This April, at the Xishuangbanna Dai Water-Splashing Festival’s cultural and creative bazaar, Eryan’s stall featuring Hani elements drew significant tourist attention. Her improved and innovative Hani garments skillfully blend traditional styles with contemporary trends. Visitors were particularly captivated by Hani embroidery cultural and creative products such as phone bags, earrings, headwear, and ties. Eryan personally designs all these products, drawing inspiration from traditional Hani Akha costumes and seamlessly integrating modern fashion concepts to create pieces perfect for contemporary daily life. This fusion has successfully made traditional Hani clothing “trendy” and secured its place in the market.

Growing up in a Hani village in Gelanghe Township, Eryan developed an early passion for Hani embroidery. Through diligent study and practice, she mastered numerous embroidery, sewing, and color matching techniques, subsequently focusing on the improvement and innovation of Hani clothing. In 2018, Eryan founded the “Hani Kangbo” brand, whose products exhibit a bold and innovative style, from the initial spinning of thread and weaving of fabric to the final embroidery, sewing, and color application. “The concept of ‘all things having spirit and beauty’ influenced me since childhood, forming a strong foundation for innovative clothing design,” Eryan explained, sharing her original intention for improving and innovating Hani garments. “My hope is for Hani clothing to continuously evolve, allowing more people to appreciate these garments and understand Hani culture.”

 

Art piece by Eryan, inheritor of Hani ethnic clothing in Xishuangbanna’s Menghai County

The “Hani Kangbo” brand has presented new collections annually since its inception. A highlight of its journey, from 2020 to the present, Eryan has consistently featured her modernized Hani garments on the runways of diverse ethnic fashion weeks. Her notable success includes winning the “Best Styling Award” and “Most Popular Apparel Award” at the “Silk Road Kunming Fashion Week” for an impressive three consecutive years. Furthermore, Eryan’s talent has led her to become a signed designer for the China Ethnic Intangible Cultural Heritage Fashion Week, cementing her growing recognition and popularity with consumers.

While advancing her personal career, Eryan has also actively organized workshops for intangible cultural heritage (ICH) skills, youth night schools, and ICH outreach programs in schools. She has embraced the responsibility of preserving these traditional crafts, aiming to engage more young people and deepen their understanding of Hani ethnic costumes. The “Hani Kangbo” brand currently employs nearly 200 Hani embroidery artisans, continuously contributing to rural revitalization efforts.

Text by Lin Lihua
Translated by YNTA
Proofreading by Zu Hongbing