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Japanese influence on resurgence
By Staff Reporters |
February 22, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ON an autumn afternoon about 20 years ago, we went into the China House of Indigo Prints in a lane on Changle Road, Shanghai. It was a two-story building with yellowish walls.
Entering the house through its arch gate, we saw an endless array of indigo prints: dresses and ornaments, table cloths, cushions and satchels, all made with cloths with different white and indigo patterns. Even the furniture was exclusively decorated in the same manner.
Surrounded in these indigo prints, we seemed to fall into a dream, a dream of warmth and tranquility we had been missing for so long. We bought our favorites right away at a price already quite high in those days. Back on the street, we were so happy and excited that we opened our bag to enjoy our purchases once again.
Under the golden leaves of the phoenix trees lining the street, the indigo patterns looked so intoxicatingly beautiful.
The China House of Indigo Prints was started by a senior Japanese woman named Kubo Hemp. Wu Zeyun, one of our friends, once accompanied this Japanese lady in a visit to Nantong and some other areas. Returning from the tour, he wrote a beautiful prose titled "Kubo Hemp and China's Indigo Prints" to record the tour and tell the story of the lady who extensively toured China for the purpose of setting up the house.
It is this Japanese lady that has caused us Chinese to remember and cherish the glory of indigo prints.
In the days that followed, we would always feel overwhelmed by the beauty of indigo prints whenever we toured the ancient towns south of the Yangtze River. Seeing the indigo prints in any store of Tongli, Xitang or Zhujiajiao, we would feel like hearing the sonorous echo of history.
Without exception, we would stop before it to appreciate the beautiful arts. On the drying fields of the Hongyuantai Grand Dye-Works in Wuzhen Town, we saw a wood pole rising more than 10 meters. Hanging down was indigo print cloth flying in the wind.
In Anting, the home of Gui's Herb-Spot Fabric, we read an introduction:
"The skill of herb-spot fabric production got lost in the mid or late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). An old lady surnamed Wang in Dongjie Street of old Anting Town once ran a herb-spot fabric dye-works, but it was very small. No beautiful tradition or culture, however, will truly die, just as mankind will never stop its pursuit of beauty. Like a tree, indigo prints might wither in one area. In another area, however, they will surely grow exuberantly and bloom in all their beauty."
Entering the house through its arch gate, we saw an endless array of indigo prints: dresses and ornaments, table cloths, cushions and satchels, all made with cloths with different white and indigo patterns. Even the furniture was exclusively decorated in the same manner.
Surrounded in these indigo prints, we seemed to fall into a dream, a dream of warmth and tranquility we had been missing for so long. We bought our favorites right away at a price already quite high in those days. Back on the street, we were so happy and excited that we opened our bag to enjoy our purchases once again.
Under the golden leaves of the phoenix trees lining the street, the indigo patterns looked so intoxicatingly beautiful.
The China House of Indigo Prints was started by a senior Japanese woman named Kubo Hemp. Wu Zeyun, one of our friends, once accompanied this Japanese lady in a visit to Nantong and some other areas. Returning from the tour, he wrote a beautiful prose titled "Kubo Hemp and China's Indigo Prints" to record the tour and tell the story of the lady who extensively toured China for the purpose of setting up the house.
It is this Japanese lady that has caused us Chinese to remember and cherish the glory of indigo prints.
In the days that followed, we would always feel overwhelmed by the beauty of indigo prints whenever we toured the ancient towns south of the Yangtze River. Seeing the indigo prints in any store of Tongli, Xitang or Zhujiajiao, we would feel like hearing the sonorous echo of history.
Without exception, we would stop before it to appreciate the beautiful arts. On the drying fields of the Hongyuantai Grand Dye-Works in Wuzhen Town, we saw a wood pole rising more than 10 meters. Hanging down was indigo print cloth flying in the wind.
In Anting, the home of Gui's Herb-Spot Fabric, we read an introduction:
"The skill of herb-spot fabric production got lost in the mid or late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). An old lady surnamed Wang in Dongjie Street of old Anting Town once ran a herb-spot fabric dye-works, but it was very small. No beautiful tradition or culture, however, will truly die, just as mankind will never stop its pursuit of beauty. Like a tree, indigo prints might wither in one area. In another area, however, they will surely grow exuberantly and bloom in all their beauty."
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