Leadership Insights | Illustrated Lectures:Batik: Innovative Transformation of a Centuries-old Wax Dyeing Technique

Batik is a traditional Chinese hand-dyeing technique with a history of over 2,000 years. It is mainly popular among ethnic minority regions in southwestern China, such as Guizhou and Yunnan, with the skills of the Miao and Bai ethnic groups being particularly exquisite. The technique uses beeswax as the resist agent, and patterns are drawn on fabric with a special copper tool dipped in wax. After indigo dyeing and wax removal, blue-and-white patterns are formed, featuring a simple and natural style. Batik patterns are often inspired by natural elements and ethnic cultural symbols, such as bronze drums, butterflies, and fish-and-bird designs. Batik pieces serve not only as daily necessities but also as an important carrier of ethnic identity.

In 2006, the Miao batik was listed among the first batch of national intangible cultural heritageitems. The Miao batik from Danzhai County, GuizhouProvince, is renowned for its “ice pattern” effect, where the wax layer naturally cracks during the dyeing process, creating a unique texturelike ice. The Bai tie-dyeing technique from Dali, Yunnan Province (whichuses the similar technique to batik) was added to the expanded list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. In recent years, inheritors of this intangible cultural heritage have promoted the revitalization of the craft by integrating batik with modern apparel and home decoration through innovative designs. However, traditional handmade batik still faces challenges such as competition from machine-manufactured products and the aging of practitioners. Fortunately, protection measureshave been taken to continue this“blue-and-white cloth” art through the establishment of inheritance centers and digital documentation.

As a traditional intangible cultural heritage, batik has achieved remarkable results in modern innovation. In the past, batik was mainly used in folk clothing and daily necessities. Today, it has moved onto a broader stage, with exquisite batik works frequently displayed at domestic and international exhibitions, many of which have even become elements in high-end fashion design. With the help of digital technology, artisans can not only accurately reproduce traditional batik patternsbut also design new patterns as needed.

The rich and colorful local traditional cultures together form the brilliant Chinese civilization and also help boost economic and social development.

監製:蔚力

策劃:丁素雲

文案:楊俊康