Personal stories: Breathing new life into ancient craft

Li Xiaozui, representative preserver of Miao embroidery and traditional batik from Guizhou province, produces a batik pattern at the exhibition booth. [Photo by Feng Minghui/chinadaily.com.cn]

Guizhou batik and Miao successor - Keeping an ancient craft alive

"We’ll pass this to future generations and never let it die out," Yao Na, Li Xiaozui’s daughter said.

Li Xiaozui is has inherited the craft of Miao embroidery and traditional batik from Guizhou province. She started to learn the skills from her mother at the age of seven and has been producing the traditional artwork for around 50 years. Now she is passing the tradition to her daughter.

"I started to learn the handcraft from my mom when I was around eight. I needed to go to school at the time, so I didn’t do as much as my mom. But now I have finished my studies, I have time to do more." Yao Na smiled.

Miao embroidery and batik has a history of thousands of years and has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.