Yu Jiawang, an expert at fluffing cotton in Hai'an, fluffs cotton with a bow. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Traditional handicrafts have gradually been phased out as modern machines are being widely used. Fluffing cotton, whose history can be dated back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), is one of such handicrafts.

Yu works with cotton. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Fluffing cotton actually refers to fluffing cotton quilts. After removing seeds from the cotton, handicraftsmen then fluff the cotton with tools. In the olden days, people not only turned to fluffing cotton experts for new cotton quilts, but also needed them to fluff the cotton for their used quilts and cushions.

Yu presses the cotton flat with a milestone. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

The 73-year-old Yu Jiawang, an expert at fluffing cotton in Linmiao village, Hai'an, Nantong, has been engaged in the craft for more than 50 years.

Yu would first use a big bow to beat the stiff cotton soft, then use a millstone to press the cotton flat, and finally weave a net with yarns on the surface of the quilt to fix the cotton.

Yu weaves a net with yarns on the surface of the quilt to fix the cotton. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

If the quilt is for a wedding ceremony, Yu would add a large red "喜" (meaning "happiness") with the yarn on the surface of the quilt.