Anshun Wax Printing [Guizhou Anshun Specialty]

What is Anshun wax printing? Authentic Guizhou Anshun Specialty: Anshun Wax Printing

Summary:Do you want to know what Anshun Wax Printing is? This article is a detailed introduction to the special product of Anshun, Guizhou - Anshun Wax Printing. It was compiled by the editorial team of China Specialty Network, who reviewed and collected relevant information on Anshun Wax Printing. The full text takes about 6 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Anshun Wax Printing and the product characteristics of Anshun Wax Printing? How did the history of Anshun wax printing come about? The production method of Anshun wax printing, etc

Basic Introduction to Anshun Wax Printing

Anshun is known as the "hometown of wax printing". Today, the Palace Museum in Beijing displays a Miao wax printing back fan from the suburbs of Anshun, which was collected by the royal court during the Qing Dynasty.

. The folk wax printing in Huangguoshu area has a long history. Taking Shitouzhai as an example, more than 80% of the households here have dye tanks. Buyi girls start learning wax printing techniques from the age of twelve or thirteen, and every woman can draw wax, hence the name "hometown of wax printing"

Wax printing is actually divided into two forms: wax painting and wax printing. Wax painting is to dip high temperature and dissolved beeswax into a copper knife (wax painting tool) and draw flowers, birds, fish, insects, Rivers and Lakes on a white cloth. They are wonderful, beautiful and lifelike. Then the painter can fill in various colors according to his preference Wax printing is the process of applying anti dye, boiling, deparaffinization, rinsing, and blooming the painted artwork. In addition, the mysterious and inscrutable ice patterns give wax printing a more abstract artistic charm. Wax printing is quite popular among Miao and Buyi women in Anshun. Miao ethnic patterns have a historical nature, resembling armor, writing, or freehand or abstract, freely galloping; The Buyi people mostly have totem patterns, including sun patterns, cloud and thunder patterns, loop patterns, and bronze drum patterns, which are continuous and symmetrical, ancient and elegant. Wax dyed fabrics are commonly used for dresses, waistbands, bed sheets, back fans, eaves, shoulder bags, hats, and fashion. At present, various wax printing crafts have become the fashion pursued by Chinese and foreign tourists

The production method of Anshun wax printing

Preparation before wax painting

First, bleach and wash the self-produced cloth with grass ash, then knead it into a paste with cooked taro and apply it to the back of the cloth. After drying, use cow horns to grind and polish it, and the stone slab is a natural ironing table

Apply wax

Place a white cloth flat on a wooden board or tabletop, put beeswax in a ceramic bowl or metal jar, and use charcoal ash or bran shells in a brazier to melt the wax. Then, dip a copper knife into the wax. The first step in painting is to manage the position. In some areas, the outline is determined based on the patterns cut from paper, and then various patterns and designs are drawn. In other areas, there is no need for patterns, only using nails to draw large outlines on white cloth, and various beautiful patterns can be easily drawn

Dyeing

The soaking method is to put the painted wax pieces in a indigo dyeing vat, usually soaking each piece for five to six days. After the first soaking, take it out and dry it, and it will turn light blue. Soak it a few more times to get a deep blue color. If a pattern of light and dark colors needs to appear on the same fabric, after the first soaking, draw wax flowers on the light blue color for immersion dyeing, and after dyeing, the two patterns of light and dark colors will appear. When the wax sheet is immersed in the dyeing vat, some of the "wax seals" break due to folding, resulting in natural cracks commonly known as "ice marks". Sometimes "ice patterns" are also made as needed. This kind of "ice pattern" often makes the wax pattern more layered and rich, with a natural and unique flavor

Wax removal

After rinsing, boil with clean water to remove the wax. After rinsing, the fabric will show clear blue and white patterns