Rainbow Mountain textile from Zhangye exhibited in Chile

A Yugur girl demonstrates the Rainbow Mountain textile artwork in Zhangye, Gansu. [Photo/WeChat account: meilizhangye]

The 11th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks was held in Temuco, Chile, from Sept 8 to 12. Zhangye UNESCO Global Geopark's textile artwork Rainbow Mountain was featured in the conference's Weaving Hope exhibition.

The event, hosted by Chile's Kutralkura Geopark, focuses on the leading role of cutting-edge technology in the future development of geoparks and explores new pathways for sustainable conservation and utilization.

The conference also emphasizes delving into the historical and cultural values of global geoheritage, promoting the integration of geological resources and humanistic significance, so that it may provide an important platform for exchange among global geoparks.

The Rainbow Mountain textile was produced by Salma Workshop, a partner of Zhangye UNESCO Global Geopark. It incorporates two national-level intangible cultural heritage techniques: Yugur weaving, a craft of the Yugur ethnic group from Sunan Yugur autonomous county of Zhangye, and tie-dyeing. The artwork vividly captures the colorful hilly landscape of Zhangye.

The piece reflects meticulous craftsmanship. The Yugur weaving technique uses white as the base, which reflects cultural values of purity and simplicity. The mountainous patterns are created through tie-dyeing, replicating the natural glow of Zhangye's hills under sunlight.