Weaving a new future for a Zhuang village

Jingui village, located in Futang township, Lianshan Zhuang and Yao autonomous county, Guangdong, buzzed with activity on a spring morning as busloads of tourists arrived. 

Ji Qiyu, a young entrepreneur, greeted and guided visitors in his neat Zhuang ethnic costume. Villagers welcomed tourists with high-quality agricultural products, while many visitors eagerly tasted traditional Zhuang and Yao dishes. Others tried their hand at Zhuang brocade weaving. Before departing, many purchased specialty products as souvenirs.

The ancient Zhuang ethnic village has undergone significant changes in recent years — houses have been renovated, roads are now clean and well-maintained, and villagers have gained multiple sources of income.

The village has also become a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond.

Many locals credit Ji, 29, as the driving force behind the village's transformation.

Known as the "male embroiderer", Ji is the seventh-generation inheritor of the Zhuang brocade technique and has introduced innovations to both the art form and the village. He has developed new styles of Zhuang brocade and turned the village into a thriving tourist hub.

Now, about five tourist groups visit the village every month. These visitors spend their time sightseeing, relaxing, and attending cultural workshops, immersing themselves in the charm of the rural mountainous village and the unique Zhuang ethnic culture.

Ji grew up in a family of Zhuang brocade craftsmen. As a child, he watched his mother and grandmother weave beautiful brocades on the loom. He began learning the art form at 13.

During college at Guangdong Polytechnic, Ji improved weaving machines to enhance efficiency and incorporated bio-protein fibers to make the fabric more comfortable and durable.

He also revolutionized traditional plant dyeing, expanding Zhuang brocade's color palette from five shades to more than 220.

Innovating tradition

After graduation, Ji returned to his hometown and founded a Zhuang brocade cooperative. His technological innovations lowered the barrier for others to learn the craft, offering local women the opportunity to work from home and earn an income.

"Previously, all the embroiders in the village were women, and when I first started learning to weave brocade, they didn't understand why a boy would be interested," Ji recalled.

He spent a lot of time communicating with the villagers and explaining his vision and eventually persuaded many to join the cooperative.

Ji's designs, which combine ethnic costumes and brocade elements, have gained market recognition for their uniqueness and craftsmanship.

"The village has distinctive ethnic characteristics, exquisite crafts, and beautiful scenery, and I believe it should be shared with a wider audience," he said.

To support his vision, Ji launched public training programs, providing free Zhuang brocade instruction and creating employment opportunities for 980 villagers, benefiting over 2,000 residents.

He also organized efforts to renovate old houses, preserve traditional weaving machines, clear neglected land, plant trees, and establish cultural gardens and homestays — turning the village into an ethnic-style ecological park focused on tourism.

"I want to present our folk culture in a 'living ecology' format that allows visitors to experience it firsthand by seeing and touching our traditional items," Ji explained.

The village's new ecological park now attracts tens of thousands of visitors each month, boosting local job opportunities and sales of agricultural products.

"Tourists often purchase our agricultural products, sometimes in quantities of dozens of kilograms, and after trying them at home, they return to buy more," Ji said.

Today, more than 900 villagers are involved in Ji's cooperative. They weave Zhuang brocade at home, repurpose their spare rooms into homestays, and sell their agricultural products.

"This flexible employment allows them to work while taking care of their families," Ji said. "A household can now earn over 10,000 yuan a month from tourism."

Thanks to Ji's efforts, Zhuang brocade — renowned for its vibrant colors and intricate patterns — has been preserved and revitalized. With over a thousand years of history, the art form continues to be passed down through generations.

Luo Jiabao contributed to this story.