Wa brocade injects vitality into tourism in SW China's Yunnan

A woman weaves brocade in Banmu village, Ximeng Wa Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on April 28, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Villagers in Banmu village, Ximeng Wa Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province have recently been busy weaving brocade during the farming off-season.

Wa brocade, a celebrated traditional craft of China, boasts a rich history that reflects the wisdom of the Wa people and preserves their culture. In May 2021, Wa brocade weaving was included in the fifth representative list of state-level intangible cultural heritage items in China.

In recent years, Ximeng Wa Autonomous County has capitalized on its intangible cultural heritage resources, forging a new path for the integration of culture and tourism.

By creating a model that combines intangible cultural heritage workshops, inheritors, and farmers, the county has driven the transformation of traditional Wa brocade into creative cultural products, launching items such as ornaments, clothing, and home decorations.

Since 2023, the county has received over 779,800 tourist visits, generating more than 15.7 million yuan (about $2.16 million) in sales of Wa brocade products and related products. This has helped over 3,000 people engaged in Wa brocade weaving increase their annual household income by an average of over 8,600 yuan.