Jianchuan Zha Bu

Jianchuan Zha Bu

　　Women of the ethnic group are skilled at making small embroidered fabric sachets. The craft of making Zha Bu is meticulous, using brightly colored fabrics. They are first sewn into basic shapes according to design, then filled with aromatic herbs such as mugwort leaves, and finally intricately embroidered. Their rustic shapes and vibrant colors offer strong decorative appeal. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival in May, they sell small fabric items such as bracelets wrapped with silk thread and mugwort, sachets, embroidered balls, bagua (the eight trigrams), tai chi symbols, lions, monkeys, qilins, and other Zha Bu pieces. These items are filled with mugwort, aromatic powders, and horse hoof incense—herbs known for dispelling impurities. They serve not only as decorations for infants but also have purifying and health-protective effects. In recent years, they have been developed as tourist products and are sold year-round for visitors to purchase. They have been selected multiple times to participate in national arts and crafts exhibitions, earning high praise from experts. Zhang Dehe, a renowned Zha Bu artisan from Jianchuan who is nearly 100 years old, has been named a Senior National Folk Artisan by the provincial Department of Culture. Her creations, including the twelve zodiac animals and other Zha Bu pieces, have been collected by the Beijing Ethnic Museum and other ethnic museums. In recent years, Zha Bu has become a beloved collectible among tourists from other regions.

　　Source: Dali Prefecture Tourism Development and Management Committee