Cultural symbol blanket from China's ethnic minority debuts at London Craft Week
LONDON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A traditional Dulong blanket from China's least populous ethnic minority made its debut on Monday at the opening of the China National Pavilion during the 2025 London Craft Week. Approximately 120 handcrafted works were on display.
The Dulong people primarily reside in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province. The Dulong blanket, woven by Dulong women, serves as a cultural symbol of their community.
The exhibition in London is supported by the initiative "Mothers' Needlework," launched by China Ping An Group in partnership with Art and Design Press. The program aims to promote women's employment and alleviate poverty.
In his opening remarks, Minister Zhao Fei of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom (UK) highlighted the shared heritage of craftsmanship in both China and Britain. He noted that both countries have splendid artisanal traditions, and expressed hope that this year's London Craft Week would deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.
Qian Zhu, president and editor-in-chief of Art and Design magazine, said that Dulong blankets and its related textiles generate annual sales of approximately 500,000 yuan (70,000 U.S. dollars) in the UK. For an ethnic group with a population of just 7,000, the growing domestic and international recognition of Dulong textiles is a significant achievement.
David Francis, a lecturer in Curating Asian Art at SOAS, University of London, whose research includes ethnic minority communities in China's Yunnan and Sichuan, told Xinhua he was excited to see textiles he had encountered in China now being exhibited in London. He emphasized the importance of integrating traditional craft with contemporary design to resonate with modern audiences.
The China Pavilion is themed "Tian Gong Kai Wu," named after the renowned 17th-century Chinese encyclopedia of craftsmanship and technology, widely regarded as the world's first systematic record of China's agricultural and artisanal knowledge.
Hosted at the historic Royal Mint in London, the exhibition runs through May 18 and includes themed events such as "Mothers' Needlework" and "A Magical Leaf from the East." Notably, 80 percent of the showcased works are created by emerging artisans.
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