Preserving the Ancestral Textile Crafts of Dali Village, China
Minority women in rural China are creating new opportunities to help protect their ancestral traditions.
Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
Welcome to Dali Dong Village
For over 1,000 years, the Dong people have made their home in the mountainous Guizhou region of China. Villages are self-sufficient, growing their own food and maintaining cultural traditions handed down through the centuries.
Drumtower in Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
Dali is a particularly well-preserved Dong village, distinguished by its iconic covered bridges and drum tower (pictured).
Traditional Clothing in Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
The artisans of Dali are famous for their crafts. Local women create distinctive outfits and indigo-dyed textiles using techniques passed from mother to daughter for generations.
Indigo Dying in Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
Many households still grow and process their own indigo, keeping dye baths placed within the house according to feng shui principles.
Textiles in Dali Dong Village by Zhang SidingWorld Monuments Fund
The women of the village work together to preserve their ancestral traditions, sharing a body of knowledge accumulated over hundreds of years.
Indigo Textiles in Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
Yet Dali faces a serious problem: with no industry and few local economic opportunities, young residents must leave the village to find work. Their departures slowly weaken the cultural bedrock that distinguishes their home.
Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
To create new jobs for local youth and revitalize their regional crafts, the villagers are now collaborating with international partners and local authorities.
Community Center in Dali Dong Village by Studio ATLASWorld Monuments Fund
Local women teamed up with Global Heritage Fund to develop a textile co-operative where artisans create and sell products, helping them support their families and connect village youth with their community and homeland.
Dali Dong Village at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2018 by Davide GalliWorld Monuments Fund
For its progress preserving vernacular resilience and protecting local traditions, this textile program has won international acclaim — including at the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2018 Across Chinese Cities exhibition.
Community Center in Dali Dong Village by Zhang LiWorld Monuments Fund
The creation of the textile cooperative and expansion of local crafts to a wider audience has helped Dali's youth. They are now poised to learn the traditions of their mothers and grandmothers while earning livelihoods at home.
Textile Co-Operative in Dali Dong Village by Studio ATLASWorld Monuments Fund
Yet Dali faces unexpected new obstacles. The women are running out of time for artisan skills training. Many fear that they must now leave Dali in search of work.
Artisans in Dali Dong Village, Guizhou Province, China by Studio ATLASWorld Monuments Fund
A New Phase for Heritage Protection
In 2023, Global Heritage Fund joined World Monuments Fund (WMF) in a strategic affiliation. WMF added Dali Village to its project portfolio and began preparing for a new phase of work, building on GHF’s legacy.
Discover More
Explore updates from Dali Dong Village, Guizhou Province, and learn how World Monument Fund (WMF) is building on the legacy of Global Heritage Fund (GHF): World Monuments Fund and Global Heritage Fund Join Forces in a New Strategic Affiliation
About World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities. The organization is headquartered in New York City with offices and affiliates in Cambodia, France, India, Peru, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Since 1965, our global team of experts has preserved the world's diverse cultural heritage using the highest international standards at more than 700 sites in 112 countries. Partnering with local communities, funders, and governments, WMF draws on heritage to address some of today’s most pressing challenges: climate change, underrepresentation, imbalanced tourism, and post-crisis recovery. With a commitment to the people who bring places to life, WMF embraces the potential of the past to create a more resilient and inclusive society. Learn more at wmf.org.
Partners
Guizhou Administration of Cultural Heritage (GACH)
Guizhou Provincial Research Center of Cultural Heritage Protection (GRCCHP)
Rongjiang County People’s Government
Youcheng China Social Entrepreneur Foundation
Dali Village Committee
Atlas Studio
Xcape Studio
Helin Art in Community
Shephard's Family Textile Cooperative
Peking University
Global Heritage Fund | In Affiliation With World Monuments Fund
