In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, the appreciation of authentic arts and crafts has become more vital than ever. As digital convenience dominates our daily lives, handcrafted traditions serve as grounding forces that reconnect us to our humanity, history, and the natural world. They embody values that are often overlooked in modern consumer culture — patience, skill, cultural continuity, and a respect for material and time.
At the recently concluded London Craft Week, visitors had the opportunity to explore, engage with, and learn about remarkable handmade crafts from cultures around the world. Among them were the works of the Bai people from southwestern China, showcased under the evocative title "Living Spirits: Bai Craft and the Art of Nature." The exhibition, held at Cromwell Place, featured their intricate tie-dyeing, silverwork, woodcarving, ceramics, and metalwork — each piece a reflection of centuries-old traditions.
The Bai (白族, Báizú) are one of China’s 56 officially recognized ethnic groups, with a population of over 2 million, most of whom live in Yunnan Province, especially around Erhai Lake and the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.
The Erhai Lake is a large alpine lake (one of China's largest freshwater lakes), surrounded by Bai villages. It’s central to Bai culture, economy, and spirituality. Dali is the cultural and historical hub of the Bai people. Once the capital of the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom (8th–9th century) and Dali Kingdom (10th–13th century).
Rooted in their Benzhu faith and shaped by the landscapes of mountains, rivers, and ritual, the Bai people carry within their traditions a deep reverence for the belief that all things possess spirit. This animistic worldview perceives stones, clouds, and water not as inert matter, but as living presences with whom one is in constant relationship.
For the Bai, everyday craft becomes a medium for spiritual dialogue with nature, where artistry and reverence are inseparable. Highlighted are the Bai people's skills in tie-dyeing, especially in Zhoucheng village near Dali. They are also skilled in woodcarving, lacquerware, and silver jewellery.
These crafts are not just decorative — they are deeply tied to Bai identity, aesthetics, and traditional knowledge passed down through generations, according to spokespersons at the exhibition. More than just an aesthetic experience, the exhibition invited audiences to appreciate the profound layers of identity, memory, and meaning embedded within these handcrafted objects.
Bai tie-dye is an indigo-resist dyeing technique. Every household in Zhoucheng is involved in some part of the tie-dye process — it's a living tradition.
Characteristics of the Bai tie-dyeing reveals a sharp, high-contrast design with rich texture and depth. Patterns often appear fluid or blooming, owing to the handcrafted irregularity so each piece is unique. Traditionally the finished fabrics are used for headscarves, aprons, skirts, wall hangings, altar cloths, now also for bags, scarfs, clothing, and home decor — especially popular with tourists and designers.
Bai embroidery plays a meaningful role in traditional clothing, ceremonial items, and cultural expression, particularly among women, who often learn these skills from a young age as part of their cultural upbringing. Bai embroidery is typically hand-stitched, using silk or cotton threads on linen or cotton fabric. It features a mix of flat stitching, cross-stitch, and raised patterns, depending on the item and intended use. Though less intricate than embroidery styles from some other Chinese ethnic groups (like the Miao or Zhuang), Bai embroidery emphasizes bold patterns, vivid colors, and symbolic motifs.
Dali Old Town and surrounding Bai villages (e.g., Xizhou, Shaxi) are known for their artisan silver workshops. Silver is important in Bai ceremonial and wedding traditions. The Bai silver artisans are known for hand-hammering and engraving silver pieces with great detail; using traditional tools and fire techniques to melt, cast, and mold silver and creating fine filigree, repoussé, and openwork.
The Bai people’s wood carving tradition is a rich and refined craft that reflects their deep cultural roots, aesthetic sensibility, and spiritual beliefs. It is most visible in architecture, furniture, and ritual objects, particularly in and around Dali and the Erhai Lake region of Yunnan. Bai wood carving is most famously used in residential architecture, particularly in the traditional “three rooms and one wall” courtyard homes.
The Living Spirits exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the rich world of Bai artistry and living cultural heritage. It is presented by YiCraft studio based in Camden, northwest London. Founded by Yiran, a member of the Bai ethnic minority, YiCrafts was born from her experience of the UK’s vibrant multicultural landscape — and her realization that the diverse traditions of China’s many ethnic minorities remain largely underrepresented abroad. Too often, China is perceived as a monolithic culture, overlooking the distinct identities within. Through workshops and an online retail space, YiCrafts seeks to share the unique handicrafts of the indigenous ethnic communities of southwestern China, celebrating their creativity, heritage, and continuing relevance.
Photos by Lucia Carpio
