Wu Yuanxin (1st from L) unveils the Wu Yuanxin Suzhou Blue Calico Art Museum with other guests. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Wu Yuanxin, a blue calico printing and dyeing master based in Nantong, Jiangsu province, has recently opened a blue calico-themed art museum in the province's Suzhou city.

Blue calico, a cotton fabric characterized by blue patterns on white cloth and vice versa, was widely used across China. In 2006, Nantong blue calico dyeing craft was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage, with Wu Yuanxin designated as a national-level inheritor of the traditional craft.

Accompanied by Wu Yuanxin (1st from R), guests tour Wu Yuanxin Suzhou Blue Calico Art Museum after the opening ceremony. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Over the past five decades, Wu and his team have dedicated themselves to the rescue, preservation, study, and promotion of blue calico, introducing innovations on the handicraft.

With his ancestral home in Suzhou, Wu generously donated nearly 200 pieces from his collections to the Wu Yuanxin Suzhou Blue Calico Art Museum to enhance local residents' understanding of the rich history of blue calico.

Situated in the picturesque Yangcheng Lake (Xiaojing) International Handicraft Village, the museum primarily showcases the history and development of blue calico in Jiangnan, featuring its classic patterns and connotations.

The museum is expected to serve as a cultural bridge for folk art exchanges and communication between the two cities, while also better preserving and passing down the traditions of the craft.