A private art gallery is preserving a traditional, strong and delicate fabric amid changes in lifestyle, Cao Chen reports.

Yang Panhong and her husband, Yang Dongye, are determined to preserve the traditional Songjiang cloth through opening an art gallery in Shanghai. The gallery boasts an extensive collection comprising more than 5,000 rolls of Songjiang cloth, and sells creative products made from the fabric, such as dolls, clothes and bags. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Delicate and colorful, the cotton cloth from Songjiang district in southwest Shanghai is slowly fading away from society as modern fabrics and the mass production of clothing become the norm.

But Yang Panhong and her husband, Yang Dongye, are determined to preserve the traditional fabric through their Songjiang Cloth Art Gallery in Shanghai. Opened in 2020, the gallery boasts an extensive collection comprising more than 5,000 rolls of Songjiang cloth, some of which date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and sells creative products made from this famed fabric, such as dolls, clothes and bags, handmade by Yang Dongye himself.

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

According to the couple, the gallery receives more than 1,000 visitors every month. Most of the vintage fabrics sold at the gallery cannot be found in the market today, and their prices certainly reflect their rarity. The most expensive cloth the couple has in their collection sells for several thousand yuan per 10 meters.

"Songjiang cloth is unique because it weighs more than others as it's more tightly woven. It also features richer patterns and colors as it is influenced by renowned local artists like the late Dong Qichang," explains Yang Panhong.

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

According to the couple, Songjiang cloth is more than just fabric－it encapsulates the history of the district and its illustrious background in weaving.

For centuries, Songjiang has been known as one of the best weaving hubs in China. In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), it was renowned for its cotton planting and craftsmanship in cloth-making.

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

"Women in Songjiang, including my mother and grandmother, can weave Songjiang cloth and use it to make bedsheets, quilt covers, headbands and clothes for our family," Yang Panhong says.

"Clothes made from Songjiang cloth are soft, and do not wrinkle easily. A piece of hand-woven cloth infused with love was the best dowry that a mother could give to her daughter at that time."

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

But it was only in 2012 that she started learning about the history of Songjiang cloth from her husband, an artist who collects the cloth and draws inspiration from it. She quickly learned that not many people today know about this traditional craft.

"We felt that this cultural heritage will fade away in a decade if no one did anything to revive it," she says.

To preserve this craft, the couple scoured the city for Songjiang cloth and purchased whatever they could find. One of their unique finds, says Yang Panhong, was a cotton cloth dowry kept in a camphor wood box for 60 years.

"The cloth was woven by an elderly person's mother for her wedding. I can still smell the scent of camphor wood on the cloth. It's a piece of treasure," she recalls.

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In 2016, Yang Panhong quit her job at a Japanese company and focused on her dream of revitalizing this craft. Four years later, she and her husband opened the gallery. To raise awareness of this cloth among younger generations, the couple has been cooperating with universities, including East China Normal University and Shanghai International Studies University, inviting local craftsmen to demonstrate the techniques used in weaving clothes using this fabric, and holding exhibitions and workshops.

(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

"Students posted their experiences on their social media accounts after attending our exhibitions. More and more people have since turned up at our gallery. A visitor once even bought products for his relatives living overseas," she says.

"We will endeavor to preserve the legacy of Songjiang cloth and further study its history and techniques. I think we will see more people come to appreciate this craft in the next five years."

Jiang Ziyi contributed to the story.

Contact the writer at caochen@chinadaily.com.cn