Full-Day Kunming Handicrafts Tour with Dai and Aini Art Workshops

Dai Pottery: Pottery and ceramics technology appeared early in Chinese civilization. At China's southwest border, the Dai minority community still uses the slow wheel to produce Dai earthenware, which is widely used in daily life. Pottery tools generally include pebbles, bamboo spades, wooden boards, wooden hammers, small dustpans, and more. Clay is used as the raw material, and the process includes turntable shaping, drying, and firing. The finished pottery includes pots, pans, bowls, and other items, among which the most famous is the pot.

Dai Tapestry: Tapestry is an art, and Dai brocade is one of the most renowned forms of this craft. Dai brocade is made of silk, wool, and cotton on a traditional Dai gallows loom. Dai women weave long strips of tapestry. Because of its exceptional patterns, gorgeous colours, and rich ethnic characteristics, the tapestry enjoys a high reputation around the world.

Dai Paper-making: Dai people use the bark of the mulberry tree in their paper-making process. This paper feels very rough but is durable. Handwriting remains indelible for hundreds of years. Dai culture and history, notably the Buddha scriptures in Xishuangbanna, have been recorded on this paper.

Aini Embroidery: Aini embroidery is an artistic treasure of the Aini people. Aini girls learn embroidery when they reach a certain age. They embroider a great variety of animals onto their clothing and handbags, and it is not easy to create such detailed, intricate embroidery on a small bag. Every pattern is unique. It is durable, has rich ethnic characteristics, and is much loved by the Aini people.