Young man from Taiwan popularizes traditional Nanjing Yunjin brocade

Photo shows Jian Mingwei at work in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo/Chinanews)

Jian Mingwei, a young man from China’s Taiwan Province, has been popularising Yunjin brocade from Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

Preserved primarily in Jiangsu, Yunjin brocade was produced exclusively for the imperial family in ancient times. “The fabric as made of fine materials such as silk, gold threads and peacock feather yarns with fine craftsmanship, and was once used to produce royal garments such as the dragon robe. Today, it has reached a wider range of consumers and gained popularity among the young," said Jian, who has been working in the Chinese mainland for 15 years.

In the past, due to a lack of marketing, consumers had little awareness of these exquisite handicrafts. Despite doing painstaking work on giant looms, workers could only earn a meagre income.

Jian, who began working as curator of the Nanjing Yunjin Museum in October 2020, organized many Yunjin brocade exhibitions in museums and high-end shopping complexes, and has held study camps for school-age children.

He has also helped develop various types of cultural and creative products from Yunjin, including wall hangings, scarves and bags, and promoted these products through livestreaming, capturing the hearts of young consumers, including those from Gen-Z. Products containing images of rabbits, this year’s Chinese zodiac sign, launched by the Nanjing Yunjin Museum, have almost sold out.

"Despite the impact of COVID-19 over the last three years, the sales volume of the museum’s creative and cultural products has registered a double-digit increase every year, with incomes for experienced weavers doubling," he said.