A vibrant cultural event recently unfolded at the Nantong Indigo Print Museum's Research and Heritage Base in Chongchuan, with over 60 international students from Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, and Indonesia embarking on a journey into the mystical world of Eastern art. 

The students were guided by Wu Yuanxin, a national representative practitioner of Nantong indigo print dyeing techniques.

Strolling through the millennium-spanning textile history corridor, they were captivated by over 200 physical exhibits that resembled living epics of dyeing craftsmanship. During the hands-on workshop, the students experimented with stencil carving, paste scraping, and dyeing, creating indigo handkerchiefs adorned with their own creative logos.

Indigo print is a traditional Chinese dyeing textile art dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the Nantong variety represents the craft at its peak. In 2006, its dyeing techniques were inscribed in China's first national intangible cultural heritage list, earning Nantong the title of "hometown of Chinese indigo print". 

The international students learn about indigo print at the museum. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

Indigo print works. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]