The Dong ethnic group lives in Guizhou province and is known
for its traditional culture dating back to thousands of years, with the
handmade Dong blouse believed to be the epitome of traditional art.
At the beginning of autumn, Dong women start making the
special cloth needed to make Dong blouses. Starting by picking cotton, spinning
it into yarn, weaving, dyeing and hammering the cloth, they take about 11
months to complete the process, including sewing and embroidery, all of which
is done by hand. But since the complicated process scares away young girls,
only a few can carry on the tradition, making it an almost lost art.