User:Tan Tingting

Hello,everyone. I'm 谭婷婷 from Hubei Province. In my spare time, I'm really into listening to music and watching TV shows.I prefer to have connection with people. It's my great honor to have this class with you, and I hope that we can have a good time.Looking forward to learning with you all this semester!

Final Exam Paper

Xilankapu: Traditional Tujia Brocade from Enshi, Hubei

Introductions on Xilankapu

Xilankapu is a traditional handwoven brocade of the Tujia ethnic group. In the Tujia language, “xilan” means “quilt” and “kapu” means “flowers”, so this brocade is also known as “quilt with Tujia motifs”. It has refined patterns, rich colors and special craft. Xilankapu is an important symbol of Tujia culture, which shows the Tujia people’s wisdom and skills. It is called the “Tujia Flower”. In ancient times, young Tujia women would weave Xilankapu themselves on the looms as part of their dowry. Along with Zhuang brocade and Miao brocade, it is considered one of the “three famous brocades of China”. The Xilankapu, an important representative that allows the outside world to understand Tujia culture, combines traditional ethnic symbols, motifs and images and reflects the ancient beliefs, philosophy and values of the Tujia people. (Cui, 2024)

The History of Xilankapu

The history of Tujia brocade is long, originating in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, taking initial form during the Qin and Han, becoming basically shaped in the Jin dynasties, maturing in the Tang and Song, and reaching perfection in the Ming and Qing. During the Tang and Song, it was known as "Gongbu" or "Xibu," while Ming and Qing records refer to it as "Banbu, that is, Tujia brocade." For hundreds of years, Tujia chieftains gave it to the imperial court as good tribute or famous local goods. In 1957, Tujia brocade got its official name when the Tujia people’s ethnic status was confirmed. Its most representative brocade, the “Xilankapu”, is poorly documented in historical texts. But it is associated with various legends that are widespread in regions such as Yongshun, Longshan and Baojing, along the You River in northern Xiangxi. One legend tells the story of a young woman named “Xilan” who died unjustly while trying to weave the ginkgo flower motif; another tells the story of “Xilan” and “Kapu”, a young couple united by their passion for weaving beautiful brocades, who ended up suffering an unjust death. Whichever version you believe, these legends convey the Tujia people's relentless pursuit of beauty and their veneration for the ancestors who created this treasure. In 1988, the Tujia brocade bag featuring the “Double Yangque" (a pair of cuckoos) motif was given as a state gift to U.S. President George H. W. Bush and his wife who were visiting China. It became famous all over the world. In June 2006, the "Tujia Brocade Craft" was included in the first National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Xilankapu got a new historical development chance then.(Tian, 2025)

Challenges and Solutions for Xilankapu

However, industrialization in modern society has grown fast. The gap between urban and rural economies has become more obvious. Xilankapu's protection and inheritance now faces many serious challenges. Ageing and a lack of successors have become the main obstacles to its development.(Li, 2025) According to statistics from the Enshi Prefecture Centre for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the year 2022, the average age of local inheritors who have mastered all Xilankapu techniques is over 60, and fewer than a hundred people have mastered the essential skills. Due to low income and the long training period, the younger generation is generally not interested in learning these techniques. To remedy this situation, the Enshi Prefecture government has stepped up its efforts to protect and train inheritors of traditional arts and crafts. The relevant authorities have established sufficient incentives and appropriate protection measures, offering inheritors material and immaterial rewards, such as the provision of facilities and funds for related activities, as well as the simplification of project application procedures. These efforts have effectively stimulated young people's motivation to learn and have helped to reverse the trend of “disappearance of inheritors, loss of craft knowledge” and enable the transmission of the art of Tujia brocade.

Secondly, the loss of traditional motifs and lack of innovation constitute the second major limitation. Historically, the transmission of Xilankapu motifs was mainly based on “mother-to-daughter” transmission within families (Ma, 2013). However, with the development of modern education systems, this type of transmission is gradually disappearing. At the same time, innovation in patterns is also limited by the aesthetic and technical skills of the weavers, which means that many products remain at the imitation and reproduction stage. To remedy these problems, the Enshi Prefectural Government has, on the one hand, organized the relevant holders of intangible cultural heritage to systematically document and archive Xilankapu motifs in order to prevent their loss. On the other hand, the analysis, transformation and refinement of traditional motifs have allowed them to be developed into relatively stable conceptual symbols, thus bridging the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern visual arts. For example, collaboration with independent designers has been sought to launch new trends in the field of fashion. In particular, the "Forty-Eight Hooks" motif is turned into 3D embroidery and put into clothing design. These changes contribute to the inheritance and innovation of Xilankapu in modern design ideas.

Furthermore, the monotony and inefficiency of distribution channels pose a third major challenge. Traditional distribution models, which rely on shops located in tourist attractions and festival exhibitions, struggle to attract young consumers. It is true that some companies have attempted to establish online distribution through e-shops, but due to a lack of professionalism and insufficient content planning, the results of online marketing are not optimal. In response, the Enshi Prefecture government has used short video platforms and virtual communities to publish a ‘30-second tutorial on brocade weaving,’ distribute vouchers for hand-woven products, and create digital museums. Those series of behaviors have attracted a large number of online users. At the same time, big data analytics are used to understand consumer preferences and deliver targeted, personalized messages. For example, “constellation brocade fabrics” with designs related to astrological signs have been launched for astrology lovers, and “healthy pillows” with herbal balls and mugwort fillings have been designed for the elderly. Sales trends are tracked based on search and purchase data from platforms such as Taobao and Tmall, in order to adapt product strategies in real time.

Conclusions

Xilankapu is a cultural heritage of immense artistic value and cultural significance, playing a vital role in transmitting ethnic traditional culture and promoting Chinese aesthetic and value concepts. In the new era, it is essential to base efforts on the characteristics of socio-cultural development, explore its cultural distinctiveness, and adopt innovative models for its dissemination and promotion. This will inject new vitality of the times into intangible cultural heritage, stimulating people's enthusiasm for inheriting and promoting it.

References

[1]崔岩.调研分析:西兰卡普的非遗价值[J].丝绸,2024,61(09):136-140.

[2]李娜,刘晓艳,董余琴,陶钰婷.非遗视域下土家织锦“西兰卡普”的传承与创新研究[J].西部皮革,2025,47(07):123-125.

[3]马新平.西兰卡普传承现状及对策研究[J].艺术教育,2013,(11):140-141.

[4]田娟. 西兰卡普文化符号的建构与传播[D]. 湖北民族大学, 2025.

Terms

coverlet 铺盖

patterns 图案

craftsmanship 工艺

loom 织机

chieftains 土司

tribute 贡品

ginkgo flowers 百果花

Double Yangque motif 双阳雀

Forty-Eight Hook motif 四十八勾纹样

constellation 星座

mugwort 艾草

Questions

1. What is the meaning of "Xilankapu" in the Tujia language?

2. Which two other brocades are called "three famous brocades of China" together with Xilankapu?

3. What names were given to Tujia brocade during the Tang and Song dynasties, as well as during the Ming and Qing dynasties?

4. What are the two legends about the origin of Xilankapu?

5. What are the three main challenges Xilankapu faces in contemporary inheritance?

Answers

1. In the Tujia language, "xilan" means "quilt" and "kapu" means "flowers", so this brocade is also known as "quilt with Tujia motifs".

2. Zhuang brocade and Miao brocade.

3. During the Tang and Song, it was known as "Gongbu" or "Xibu," while Ming and Qing records refer to it as "Banbu, that is, Tujia brocade."

4. One legend tells of a girl named "Xilan" who died unjustly while trying to learn to weave the pattern of ginkgo flowers; another tells of "Xilan" and "Kapu," a young couple united by their pursuit of weaving beautiful brocades who ultimately suffered wrongful deaths.

5. The ageing and a lack of successors;the loss of traditional motifs and lack of innovation;the monotony and inefficiency of distribution channels.

期末论文

湖北恩施土家族西兰卡普织锦

西兰卡普介绍

   “西兰卡普”是土家族传统手工织锦，土家语中“西兰”意为铺盖，“卡普”指花，故也称“土花铺盖”。它以精美图案、丰富色彩和独特工艺成为土家族文化的重要象征，是土家人智慧与技艺的结晶，被誉为“土家之花”。过去土家姑娘出嫁时常在织机上亲手制作西兰卡普。其与壮锦、苗锦并称“中国三大名锦”。作为外界了解土家族文化的重要代表，西兰卡普融合了民族传统符号、图案与意象，体现了土家族古代的信仰、哲学与价值观念。（Cui，2024）

西兰卡普历史

   土家织锦历史悠久，起始于商周，初雏于秦汉，基本成型于两晋，成熟于唐宋，至明清臻于完美。唐宋时被称为“贡布”、“溪布”，明清时期则有“斑布，即土锦”的记载。历代以来，它都被土司作为上等贡品或著名土产向朝廷纳贡，并于1957年随土家族民族身份确认而正式定名。其最具代表性的“西兰卡普”，史籍记载虽零碎，但相关传说在湘西北酉水流域的永顺、龙山、保靖等地广为流传，且版本多样。一说“西兰”是一位为学织百果花而屈死的姑娘；另一说“西兰”与“卡普”是一对因共同追求织锦之美而结合、最终双双蒙冤的青年。无论哪种传说，都寄托着土家人民对美的执着追求，以及对创造这一瑰宝的先辈的敬仰与怀念。1988年，土家织锦包《双阳雀》作为国礼赠予访华的美国总统布什及夫人，由此享誉世界。2006年6月，“土家族织锦技艺”入选首批国家级非物质文化遗产名录，西兰卡普由此迎来了新的历史发展机遇。（Tian，2025）

西兰卡普面临的问题及解决方案

   然而，随着现代社会工业化的迅猛发展和城乡经济差异的日益凸显，西兰卡普的保护和传承也面临着诸多严峻的挑战。传承人的老龄化与断层问题，成为了制约其发展的首要因素。（Li，2025）据恩施州非物质文化遗产保护中心2022年的统计，当地掌握完整西兰卡普技艺的传承人平均年龄超过60岁，熟练掌握核心技艺者不足百人，年轻一代因经济回报低、学习周期长等原因普遍缺乏学习兴趣。为了改变这一现状，恩施州政府加大了对传承艺人的保护和培训力度。政府相关部门实施了充分的鼓励政策，采取适当的保护措施，对传承人给予物质与精神上的奖励，如为相关活动提供设施与资金、简化项目申报手续等。有效促进了年轻人学习的积极性，逆转传承人“人绝艺亡”之势，使士家织锦的传承成为可能。
   其次，纹样流失与创新乏力是制约其发展的第二大因素。过去西兰卡普纹样的传承主要依赖家庭内部的“母女相传”模式。（Ma，2013）然而，由于现代教育体系的发展，这种家庭传承模式正在逐渐消亡。同时，纹样的创新还受到织工审美素养和技术能力的限制，导致许多产品仍停留在模仿复制阶段。针对以上问题，一方面，恩施州政府组织了相关非遗传承人对西兰卡普纹样进行了系统的记录和整理，将其收录在册，避免纹样失传。另一方面，通过解析、转化和再提炼传统纹样，将其发展成为相对稳定的观念性符号，打破传统手工艺和现代视觉艺术之间的界限。例如，寻找独立设计师合作，推出新潮流时装。将“四十八勾”纹样转化为立体刺绣，应用于服饰设计等，这些转化推动了现代设计理念下西兰卡普的传承与创新。
   然而，传播渠道的单一性与低效性是其面临的第三大问题。传统销售模式依赖于景区门店与节庆展销的方式，难以吸引年轻消费群体。虽然部分企业已经尝试通过开设网店来进行销售推广，但是由于缺乏专业的运营与有效的内容策划，线上营销效果并不理想。对此，恩施州政府利用短视频平台、虚拟社区等，通过发布“30秒织锦教学”、发放手工织品购买消费券以及搭建数字博物馆等方式，吸引了大批线上的网民。同时，利用大数据分析消费者偏好，定向推送定制化消息。例如，针对星象爱好者推出“星座主题织锦”，结合星象设计纹样；针对老年人设计“养生靠垫”，融入草药团与艾草填充物等。通过淘宝、天猫等购物平台的搜索、购买数据，追踪销售趋势，即时调整产品策略。

结语

   西兰卡普是极具艺术价值与文化内涵的文化遗产，对于传承民族传统文化、弘扬中华审美理念与价值理念具有重要意义。新时期，应当立足于社会文化发展特点，挖掘出其中的文化特色，采用创新模式对其进行传播弘扬，为非遗文化注入新的时代活力，激发人们传承弘扬非遗文化的积极性。

问题

1. “西兰卡普”在土家语中是何含义？

2. 西兰卡普与其他哪两种织锦并称“中国三大名锦”？

3. 土家织锦在唐宋和明清时期分别有哪些称谓？

4. 关于西兰卡普的由来有哪两种传说？

5. 文章指出西兰卡普在当代传承中面临着哪三大主要挑战？

答案

1. “西兰卡普”在土家语中，“西兰”意为“铺盖”，“卡普”指“花”，因此也称作“土花铺盖”。

2. 西兰卡普与壮锦、苗锦并称“中国三大名锦”。

3. 唐宋时被称为“贡布”、“溪布”，明清时期则有“斑布，即土锦”的记载。

4. 一说“西兰”是一位为学织百果花而屈死的姑娘；另一说“西兰”与“卡普”是一对因共同追求织锦之美而结合、最终双双蒙冤的青年。

5. 首先，传承人的老龄化与断层问题；其次，纹样流失与创新乏力问题；第三，传播渠道的单一性与低效性。