Revealing their true colors

A bluish backdrop with white shapes could conjure images of clouds and sky, or even of undulating oceans, but under Wang Zhenxing's skillful ministrations, it can also become a delicate piece of fabric art.

In his deft fingers, the intricate white patterns emerging on the blue fabric, which range from the floral and the geometric to the whimsical, have a way of drawing those that look at them into the world of Chinese tradition and tranquillity.

"If you get closer to the cloth, you'll notice a faint fragrance. This is the scent of indigo mixed with soybean and lime powder paste," says Wang, who's in his 80s.

The concoction has insect-repelling, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, the artisan from Nantong in Jiangsu province adds.

For the past six decades, Wang has been practicing blue calico printing and dyeing, one of the first crafts named as a form of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.