A tie-dye silk scarf that was presented as a gift to a UK couple more than four decades ago is now on display at the Nantong Huayi Tie-Dye Museum in Hai'an. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

A simple yet heartwarming donation ceremony was held on March 6 at the Nantong Huayi Tie-Dye Museum, as a tie-dye silk scarf treasured for over 40 years was officially returned from the United Kingdom.

Entrusted by couple Ena Niedergang and Barry Niedergang, Hai'an native Jing Chuhan delivered the scarf to the museum. The couple, both in their 80s, joined the ceremony via video link to witness the moment.

"This beautiful Nantong silk scarf has been with me for 40 years. Now, it is time for it to return to Nantong Silk Factory Museum with my blessing and love," Ena Niedergang said.

The story dates back to 1986, when the couple first visited Nantong at the invitation of the local government and received the handcrafted tie-dye scarf as a gift.

In 2025, Jing met the couple during a cultural exchange event in Wales, the United Kingdom. During a visit to their home, she saw the carefully preserved scarf, which had only been worn on a few special occasions over four decades. Moved by the story, she shared it in a short video on Douyin. The video quickly went viral, sparking widespread attention online.

Among those who saw the video was Qian Lixia, an advisor to the museum with 46 years of experience in the tie-dye industry. She immediately recognized the craftsmanship as a distinctive technique from Hai'an Huayi.

Following the donation, Hai'an presented the couple with tie-dye scarves, a tie and a set of creative postcards embedded with plant dye seeds, symbolizing a renewed cultural connection.