Batik is a time-honored dyeing technique. As early as the Han
Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), ethnic minorities such as Miao, Yao
and Bouyei in southwestern China developed very refined skills
with this method of coloring. With white patterns against a blue
backdrop, cloth dyed in this way is imbued with the charm and
flavor of the ethnic countryside. Batik is considered a gem
among traditional Chinese arts. The first time I heard the word
“batik” was when I listened to the telling of this old Miao folk
tale - Once upon a time, a smart and beautiful Miao girl, who
had tired of her same-colored muted clothing, was thinking about
how best to apply to her skirts the beautiful images of nature,
like flowers, birds, insects and fish. Drawing motifs on all her
clothes one-by-one was a difficult chore, but for a long time
she couldn’t conceive of a better method. Then one day, as she
again watched the wild flowers on the mountainside, she thought
and thought ... and finally fell into a deep sleep. While she
slept, a sw