He Fengqin: To Make Changyang Tujia Costume A New "National Trend"

He Fengqin Tapestry in Tujia. Respondents provided

The Tujia costumes produced by the goddess of Yishui in Changyang appeared in the national costume exhibition. Respondents provided

He Fengqin, inheritor of intangible cultural heritage:

At the Wuling cultural and tourism summit held in mid July, he Fengqin, inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, showed up with Tujia ethnic costumes in Changyang, attracting numerous merchants.

During the "Qingjiang River · tujiayuan" cultural tourism week in Changyang, Tujia ethnic costumes "dress up" folk song competition and Wuling Song Festival. At the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, Liu faying, the "yingzi elder sister", went to the "representative channel" in Changyang Tujia ethnic costumes, and the costumes she wore were also made by he Fengqin.

Changyang Tujia national costume from "raised in boudoir people do not know" to "fly into the ordinary people's home", can not do without he Fengqin's years of hard work. She founded Changyang Yishui goddess Culture Development Co., Ltd., determined to become the first person of Changyang Tujia ethnic costume specialization, branding and marketization, and let Changyang clothing go out of the mountains and become a new "national trend".

Return home to start a business

Concentrate on traditional clothing

He Fengqin is a native of Changyang. In 2011, she used to work in a garment factory in Wuhan. She accidentally learned that Yichang provided interest free loans for entrepreneurs returning home. With her love for her hometown, she resolutely returned to Changyang to start a business.

After returning home, she set up a clothing factory, producing tooling, business is booming. From 2015 to 2015, she has more than 80 sewing machines.

However, she always has a regret in her heart. Whenever foreign businessmen and friends come to Changyang and ask what is special about the Tujia ethnic costumes in Changyang, she always hesitates and can't answer.

In 2017, he Fengqin determined to study the historical origin and national characteristics of Changyang Tujia ethnic costumes. She visited museums and folk artists, went to Beijing, Wuhan and other places to participate in national cultural and creative training, and went to Guizhou, Hunan and other places to investigate... Over time, she came up with the idea of transforming the production of Changyang Tujia ethnic costumes.

In order to make Changyang Tujia ethnic costumes, he Fengqin went to Wuhan Textile University to study. In Wuhan Textile University, she made the first Tujia costume by herself. "This suit means a lot to me, and I keep it to this day." He Fengqin said.

In 2019, he Fengqin's design and production of more than 30 sets of Tujia costumes won eight awards including "best design award", "excellent design award" and "excellent organization award" in the national Tujia costume collection and selection activity of "advocating national fashion and enhancing national unity". He Fengqin said that this is the first traditional clothing professional selection she participated in, and the award also strengthened her determination to transform Changyang Tujia ethnic costume production from traditional tooling.

In 2020, he Fengqin founded Changyang Yishui goddess Culture Development Co., Ltd., which is engaged in the design and development of ethnic costumes, shoes, bags and accessories, cultural display and exchange of ethnic costumes, protection and production of ethnic folk goods and intangible cultural heritage.

Smart fashion

Integration of tradition into modern life

Different from the mass production tooling, the traditional clothing production period is long, most patterns rely on manual sewing, and the labor cost is high. At the beginning of the company, he Fengqin could not make ends meet.

At first, he Fengqin's customers were mostly traditional scenic spots, but affected by the epidemic situation, the scenic spot orders decreased. Therefore, she continued to innovate and improve, adding fashion features on the basis of retaining the traditional Tujia culture, so that Tujia ethnic costumes "fly into ordinary people's homes".

With modern fabric instead of old coarse cloth, invisible zipper is designed. After modern daily design, Tujia traditional clothing produced by he Fengqin can be integrated into various modern life scenes without any violation.

"I specially designed Changyang traditional clothes suitable for attending meetings and business. It is not only a formal version, but also retains the traditional elements of Tujia. It is very popular among entrepreneurs and public servants." He Fengqin said that the national costume culture should not be put on the shelf, but should be seen and needed. "Going out in Changyang Tujia traditional costumes is the Changyang cultural card of" walking. "

He Fengqin also extended the traditional Tujia clothing techniques to cultural and creative products. For modern people, the pursuit of convenience is not enough. So she improved her needlework skills and applied the classic patterns of "Xilankapu" to bags and scarves, attracting many young customers.

She also took the initiative to access the Internet, opened a new media account, widely publicized, and opened a wide market. She firmly believes that in order to expand Changyang Tujia national clothing industry, it is still necessary to integrate into the present, make traditional clothing more suitable for modern life, meet the aesthetic and cultural needs of modern people, and become a new popular element and the pursuit of young people.

Inheriting intangible cultural heritage

Dream to build a new "national tide"

He Fengqin's dream is to make Changyang Tujia traditional costume a new "national trend".

In 2021, he Fengqin built the first "intangible cultural heritage workshop" of Tujia brocade ethnic costumes in Changyang, which was incorporated into the Qingjiang Gallery scenic area. Tourists can wear Tujia costumes and enjoy the green mountains and clear waters. They can also "incarnate" xiuniang and experience Tujia brocade.

On July 4, Changyang Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum opened. More than ten scenes of Tujia people's life and more than 30 sets of costumes were from the enterprises of he Fengqin. He Fengqin said that in the production process of Tujia traditional clothing, her strong recognition of Changyang national culture is growing day by day, and this cultural confidence makes her take the protection and inheritance of "intangible cultural heritage" as her mission.

At present, Tujia clothing production technology has been selected into the seventh batch of representative projects of municipal intangible cultural heritage, but her vision is more than that. She is committed to let Tujia ethnic costumes "enter the campus", integrate Tujia elements into the school uniform design of primary and secondary school students, and make "intangible cultural heritage workshop" a research and learning base for primary and secondary schools.

At present, he Fengqin is also busy building her "upgraded version" of the intangible cultural heritage workshop. The "upgraded" intangible cultural heritage workshop, covering an area of more than 500 square meters, integrates display, sales and interactive experience, and is expected to open in October.

"I want to train more young generations of inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, so that Tujia ethnic costumes can be passed on from generation to generation." He Fengqin called on Changyang college students abroad to "speak for the intangible cultural heritage" of their hometown, hoping to cooperate with young people to inspire more innovative design and creative inspiration. "Let Changyang Tujia ethnic costumes" go out "and" catch fire "and become a new national trend."

(source: Three Gorges Evening News)