Printing and dyeing technology of Nantong blue calico

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Nantong blue calico printing and dyeing technology

Applicant: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province

Item No.: 374

Project No.: VIII - 24

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Jiangsu Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province

Protection unit: Nantong blue calico Art Museum

Brief introduction of Nantong blue calico printing and dyeing technology

Applicant: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province

The traditional printing and dyeing techniques of Nantong blue calico are all over the counties in Nantong area. The most influential workshops are Shizhuang in Rugao, Erjia and Shigang in Tongzhou, Sanyang in Haimen, Huilong in Qidong and the urban area of Nantong. The folk use of blue grass pigment dyeing can be traced back to the spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period. Later, indigo developed into a blue dyeing technique, which has been more than a thousand years. Nantong is close to the sea and is suitable for planting cotton. After the yuan and Ming Dynasties, every household in Nantong had a weaving girl, which was a famous hometown of textile and blue calico.

Nantong blue calico printing and dyeing technology continues to this day, using hand spinning, hand weaving, hand dyeing methods to make bedding, baggage, headscarf and other daily necessities. The printing and dyeing patterns are mainly plant flowers and animal patterns, but also have simple geometric figures. With the characteristics of dirt resistance, wear resistance, firmness and auspicious patterns, it has been popular among the masses for a long time and has become one of the most representative traditional handicrafts.

Blue calico printing and dyeing technology has a long history, wide popularity and far-reaching influence, which has a high cultural value. Nantong blue calico Museum has collected more than 1000 pieces of blue calico materials and pictures since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, designed and developed more than 100 kinds of blue calico series products, sorted out and published the collection volume and pattern volume of "complete collection of Chinese blue calico patterns", showing the style and charm of Nantong printing and dyeing technology.

However, at present, the number of people engaged in blue calico printing and dyeing is decreasing, and the number of professionals is declining. Some blue calico has been changed to automatic or semi-automatic production, and the traditional process is gradually changing. It is necessary to draw the attention of the relevant parties. The protection of blue calico printing and dyeing technology has reached a critical moment.