“Zhoucheng Zha‑Ran: Indigo Dreams Woven in Yunnan’s Ancestral Sky”

#chinatravel
I just spent a great day in Zhoucheng 周城 Town of Dali, Yunnan Province. Here is my travel tip.

I visited the famous Bai ethnic artist Mr. Dong’s workplace and finished a Zaran 扎染 indigo bag with the help of the artists. His workplace is called Longyuzhuangyuan. In his shop, you can choose a white bag or cloth, then DIY the pattern and color and dye it yourself. Zhoucheng Town is close to Xizhou Town, so you can visit and stay in Xizhou and then visit Zhoucheng from there. Zhoucheng is not very touristic compared to other towns in Dali.

Zaran 扎染 is a very old art craft of uses natural materials to dye clothes. In Dali, Bai people have found Isatis root can be used for making indigo dye after boiling and fermenting. The Zaran art is not only in indigo blue but also in red or multicolor depending on the color of the plant leaves you can get. The common patterns are butterflies, flowers, and irregular lines and spots.

Post by TravelwithAGE | Jul 28, 2025