Uyghur Patterned Felt and Printed Cloth Weaving and Dyeing

The Uyghur patterned-felt and printed-cloth craft is a textile and decoration tradition handed down for generations, covering both rolled patterned felt and wood-block printed cloth; it entered the first national ICH list in 2006 (item Ⅷ-23), with the Turpan region one of its key declaring and bearing places. Bound closely to Uyghur home furnishings and dress, it is a concentrated expression of oasis aesthetics.

Patterned felt is rolled from wool with appliqué or mould-printed motifs, often pomegranates, flowers and geometry in vivid colour; printed cloth uses plant dyes such as walnut-hull and sophora with carved wooden blocks stamped in repeat patterns onto white cloth, for wall-borders, bed surrounds and garment fabric.

The craft carries the Uyghur dwelling culture, sense of colour and festive ritual, an important source for the study of Western Regions textile history and folk art, still alive in Turpan's everyday life and handicraft tourism.