Dong woman at her handicrafts, Zhaoxing Dong Village, Guizhou Province, China
Zhaoxing Dong Village (aka Zhaodong), dating back to 1160, is one of the largest Dong minority villages in China. It is noted for its Drum Towers and its Wind and Rain covered bridges on the Nanjiang River and its wooden houses built of mortice and tenon construction without nails. At the center of the village is a square with a stage where performances of polyphonic singing take place. The ethnic Dong people's culture of cloth: A common sight in Dong villages of Southern China are the deep indigo blue cloths hanging to dry. The women have long been renowned for their skills in weaving and dyeing. According to historical records, Dong cloth-making dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and the finished material was often carried to the royal palace as tribute. The process of creating the cloth is arduous. The raw cotton is harvested from Dong farmland, cleaned, and woven into cloth. The Dong women mix indigo plants (Isatis tinctoria, also known as woad) with lime water to make the blue dye. The cloth is dyed in tubs then washed and dried again up to three or four times until the color is a rich dark blue. Then other plants are added to the dye and the cloth is dyed again, resulting in a deep blue with rosy accents. After a final drying, the cloth is folded, coated with egg white and beaten with a mallet over the course of two weeks until the cloth develops a rich shine. The more it shines, the more precious the cloth is deemed to be.
Size: 3601px × 4500px
Location: Zhaoxing Dong Village, Guizhou Province, China
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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