On April 10, 16 SUES international students from Brazil, the United States, Japan and other countries participated in a Tie-dye session as part of the “International students into intangible cultural heritage” series of workshops organized by SUES College of International Education on Changning Campus.
During the workshop, the lecturer thoroughly presented the Tie-dyeing skills to the students, covering everything from its origin, historical development, artistic value, the tie-dyeing process, common tie-dyeing techniques, to the international spread and influence of tie-dyeing. The participants listened with great interest and engaged in lively discussion with the lecturer. The international students’ designs were ultimately presented after a protracted production and waiting period: one-of-a-kind flowers sprouted on pieces of plain white fabrics following a number of stages including designing, folding, tying, designing, dying, and washing. “Fantastic!” “It’s gorgeous!” There were countless praises that were expressed. Everyone took their cell phones so that they could capture their very first time tie-dyeing and keep the memories of these priceless moments.
Traditional hand-printing and dyeing methods have been used in China for thousands of years, and the Tie-dyeing was added to the UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Through this practice, international students were able to appreciate the Tie-dye technique’s beauty as well as the rich history and significance of China's intangible cultural heritage.