Dali Straw Weaving

Dali Straw Weaving

　　 Dali straw hat weaving is a traditional handicraft of the Bai people in the Dali region. Legend has it that during the Nanzhao period, there was once a Straw Hat Street near Taihe City, and the name of this street still exists today in Taihe Village, Qiliqiao, Dali City.

In the past, straw hat weaving was entirely done by hand, resulting in limited production and monotonous designs and varieties. Nowadays, the Bai villagers of Dali have leveraged their traditional strengths, introduced modern crafting techniques, and made full use of their spare time, with every household engaging in straw hat weaving. Whether in courtyards, fields, or on village roadsides while chatting and enjoying the cool air, one can see women clamping wheat stalks under their arms and continuously braiding straw strands with their fingers. They bleach the braided straw before sewing it into various finished styles. The finest products are made from fine, thin-skinned, white-colored straw, tightly and evenly woven, with closely spaced stitching and dense needlework. Due to their classic, rustic beauty, wide variety of designs, affordable prices, and consistent high demand over the years, Dali straw hats continue to evolve in style. Products such as the “Bosom Buddy Hat,” “British-style Top Hat,” “Children’s Hat,” and “Embroidered Hat” are especially popular among both domestic and international tourists. The product range is mainly sold to hot regions such as Xishuangbanna and Dehong Prefecture, with some also exported overseas.

Straw weaving is a long-standing traditional handicraft art in Dali, featuring a rich variety of types, abundant resources, and diverse designs, reflecting the unique characteristics of different ethnic groups. It mainly includes traditional weaving using grain straw, wheat stalks, and palm fibers. Historical records indicate that in the early Ming Dynasty, “Yongchang (where historical Dali was once part of Yongchang) had already established craft training centers to teach the methods of Shandong-style straw weaving.” Since then, the craft has been passed down through generations. In recent years, driven by market demand and the growth of tourism, the variety of Dali straw-woven products has expanded significantly, including hundreds of styles such as straw curtains, mats, baskets, fans, mats, and toys. Just the category of straw baskets alone comes in a dazzling array of colorful designs and shapes. Embroidered onto straw products are patterns beloved by local ethnic communities—butterflies, camellias, the Three Pagodas, Erhai Lake, Cangshan Mountain, birds, and animals—making them both unique and aesthetically pleasing as well as practical and economical. These products are cherished not only by various ethnic groups within China but are also exported to the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asian countries.

Weaving straw hats from wheat stalks is a generational skill passed down among Bai women in Dali County, Yunnan. Ingenious and deft with their hands, they craft exquisitely made hats with tasteful designs that are welcomed by people of all ethnicities. Many foreign visitors traveling to Yunnan also make it a point to purchase Dali straw hats—not only as objects of beauty but also as mementos. The production of Dali straw hats boasts a long history. After the decline of Taihe City, the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom during the Tang Dynasty, the former bustle of the city was replaced by a straw hat market, which later evolved into the famous Straw Hat Street of modern times. This shows that straw hat weaving has long been a custom among the local Bai people, with deep-rooted traditions. Nevertheless, hat styles have evolved with the times—from youth caps, duckbill hats, top hats, embroidered floral hats, semi-circular travel hats, to Tibetan-style hats—adapting to the varied tastes of men, women, and children of all ages.