On February 18, "Jiangsu Culture" series of micro-documentaries produced by the 
Information Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government released the 
sixth chapter: Blue and White. The documentary is based on three parts: "Blue 
in memory", "Blue in handwork" and "Blue in life". It presents the national 
intangible cultural heritage - Nantong Blue Calico Printing and Dyeing Skills. 
From the whole process of engraving, scraping, dyeing to drying, it shows in 
detail the persistence and inheritance of inheritors from generation to 
generation.

Nantong, near the river and the sea, is an excellent growing area for the 
growth of indigo plants, the raw material of blue calico. 2,000 years ago, the 
blue-dyeing industry arose here. Locals extracted indigo from plants, combined 
with hand weaving, printing and dyeing techniques, the blue and white work was 
made.

The design and engraving of the pattern are the basis of the blue calico, they 
are constantly on artisans' mind. Each carving testifies the memory of time. A 
blend of soybean flour and lime powder creates a protective layer. The 
anti-dyeing paste, printed on the cloth through the engraved plate, produces 
the initial appearance of the pattern. Dried long cloth is then oaked in a dye 
vat and lifted after several minutes. As indigo and oxygen intermingle, the 
blue calico changes from yellow to cyan and from cyan to blue. The harmony of 
blue and white displays the wisdom of workmanship and presents unique 
Chinese-style beauty of color.

The beauty of cloth lies more in its decorative patterns than in its colors. 
Blue calico patterns are mainly auspicious ones of folk tales and plant and 
animal metaphors, such as Dragon and Phoenix Bliss, Bumper Harvest. The plain, 
pure blue and white colors demonstrate the unique features of Chinese folk art 
and carry the living stories on this land. Blue calico is a lifelong 
commitment, craft inheritance, and an oriental sentiment dear to many hearts. 
Through the river of time, it came down from thousands of years ago and now 
glows with new vitality.

For more information, click here: https://t.xinhuaapp.com/sWUsfXq

Source: Information Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government